


Give a thought to planned pregnancy

by velvetcat09



Series: Ginhiji Omegaverse [1]
Category: Gintama
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Attempt at Humor, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Domesticity, Established Relationship, M/M, Mpreg, Pre-shogun assassination arc, Romantic Comedy, Slice of Life, Soul Bond, Unreliable Narrator, alpha Gintoki, mentions of porn/sex, more tags to be added as we go along, omega Hijikata, possible hurt/comfort somewhere because i cannot not write hurt/comfort or angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 36,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25278220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velvetcat09/pseuds/velvetcat09
Summary: “Shinpachi, what’s this? I found it in the trash—” He just dragged the blinking girl away from the Yorozuya household. They were on the bottom of the stairs when Shinpachi grabbed the pink box.“This, Kagura-chan, is pregnancy test.”===Complete!!! + Bonus epilogue
Relationships: Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki
Series: Ginhiji Omegaverse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897045
Comments: 89
Kudos: 515





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> because i'm always self-indulgent like that and this idea been playing in my brain for like couple of days now

_The Land of Samurai. It’s been quite a while since our country has been called that. Twenty years ago, a race called the Amanto seized power and established a prohibition on all swords. The samurai now tread a fine legal line. In this age, there’s a man who still possesses the soul of the samurai. His name is Sakata Gintoki._

_Ah, yes. The man who is now head planted on the tatami of his own house, bowing down in front of The Demonic Vice-Commander of Shinsengumi. Sakata Gintoki, there’s no denying that this man still possesses the soul of the samurai._

_And I, Shimura Shinpachi, shall not intervene._

“… Sorry for intruding.” He shuts the door and grabs hold of Kagura before both leaving the Yorozuya Gin-chan household. For the entire day, maybe even a week.

* * *

—So, first thing first…

Let’s just get it this out in the open first and foremost, so that the plot may progressed faster. Hijikata Toushirou (28/M/Ω) has been dating Sakata Gintoki (29/M/Α) for the last 3 months. It has been about a month since the Vice-commander of Shinsengumi _tried_ living together in the Yorozuya household. They’ve been amicably well for the last couple months so Gintoki had nonchalantly suggested Hijikata to live with him, which Hijikata nonchalantly replied with a “Sure, perm-head.”, and to which Gintoki had choked on his own spit before panicking about the other’s short answer.

 _It’s better than living with tons of people in the barrack, plus no more being woken up by Sougo’s bazooka every morning_. Hijikata had quipped the explanation that felt extremely half-assed, in Gintoki’s opinion, but accepted nonetheless because he’d probably get cut in half if he asked for the true reason.

So two mated pair, living under the same roof, going about their businesses, coming home to the same place, sleeping in the same room with futons as close as you can get two together, the text-book definition of domesticity. Maybe plus the sort of adopted daughter sleeping in the living room closet.

Every night they go to bed on their separate futon, they say goodnight and doze off instantly (most of the night, if you catch the gist). Then in the morning Hijikata will untangle himself first, does his morning businesses before making breakfast. Then he wakes up Kagura, then he wakes up Gintoki. The first day that happened, Pattsuan was in tears screaming “THEN WHAT WILL BE MY ROLE FROM NOW ON????”. The boy accepted his fate and now he comes a bit earlier so that he can help Hijikata with making breakfast.

After their morning routine, Hijikata will leave for work first, he’ll go to the barrack first before doing whatever job they gotta do that day. Some days it’ll be as taxing as preventing Edo from being burned to the ground by whatever villain for the week, some days it’ll be so peaceful that he’ll cave in to Gintoki snatching him from work for a movie date. The Yorozuya-trio themselves will have their own odd job to do, just as random like the Shinsengumi, maybe much further on the random factor.

So, when that morning Hijikata said he needed to stay a bit more, Gintoki should’ve snuffed that from miles. But he didn’t. Him, Kagura, Shinpachi, and Sadaharu were the ones saying “Ittekimasu~” despite the unnaturalness of it. They went to work as natural as they can to wash away that lingering awkwardness. It worked because by lunchtime, all three of them had forgotten about Hijikata Toushirou at home.

It was around 2 when Gintoki crossed path with Zaki on his way to the convenience store.

“Danna!”

“Yo, Jimmy-kun, patrolling?”

“Ah—y-yeah, I’m doing Vice-commander’s,” Gintoki should’ve gotten this way way earlier. “since he didn’t come to work today. Oh! Which reminds me, I was just about to ask Danna as well, have you seen Hijikata-san?”

Yep, Gintoki really should’ve noticed this.

“… Jimmy-kun, can you bring this to Kagura and Shinpachi, They’re at the park.” Gintoki dropped the plastic bag filled with some konbini snacks. Yamazaki could only nod awkwardly before he saw the Yorozuya boss dashing at the speed of light on the street.

Gintoki arrived home sweating like gorilla. “O-Oogushi-kun?” He slid the front door open to see the entryway lights weren’t on. Then, he’s not ho— _no_ , Hijikata was still at home. Gintoki looked over the shoes still deposited in the entryway and immediately took off his own boots. He frantically looked around, opening doors after doors, even Kagura’s closet door. The lights were off, which really didn’t bode well with Gintoki.

Then he saw one place with the lights on and it was like a beacon. Like a moth, Gintoki rushed to the bathroom.

“Oogushi-kun! You in there?” He received no verbal answer, but he did hear rustling noises coming from the toilet. Whatever was panicking in his mind finally settled down when he noticed _someone_ was actually _home_.

“Oi, Oogushi-kun? You alright in there?” He prodded, knocking lightly at the toilet door. “Jimmy said you weren’t at work, oi, shouldn’t you be a good example to your subordinates? You shouldn’t be slacking off, your reputation will be at huge risk, Demonic Vice-commander-san.” Still no answer from the person sitting on the toilet.

“Oi, oi, you alright? You got diarrhea or some—” Sakata Gintoki saw it. On the trash can, a discarded, empty box. “— _thing_.”

“HIJIKATA, OPEN THE DOOR!”

It was eerily quiet when Shinpachi and Kagura came home. “Gin-san?” The lights were still off.

“Gin-chan not home?”

“No, no, pretty sure Yamazaki-san said he went to the direction of the Yorozuya. Otose-san even said she heard him. Gin-san?”

“Hmm, but it’s all still dark, it’s weird, Shinpachi.”

“Maybe he forgot to turn on the lights,” He turned the one on the hallway, he opened the door to the living-office room and found the place unlit as well. Kagura went to the bathroom to shout Gin-chan at the toilet. (“There’s no way he’d be there, Kagura-chan..” “Who knows, maybe Gin-chan got eaten by the monster in the pipes.”)

Then Shinpachi noticed the bedroom’s door slightly ajar, just the slightest. He saw light coming through it. _Ah, so there he is._

“Gin-san—”

Hmm.

This feels bad.

Shinpachi stopped at the scene in front of him. Hijikata and Gintoki sat in front of each other, the latter bowed on the tatami and it was a pose Shinpachi had never seen from the man. Both weren’t making any more, any sound. Shinpachi wondered how long they’ve been at stalemate like this. He did notice a certain scent in the air but it smelled foreign to him. The kind of scent that said ‘You’re not old enough for this, kid.’

Then he saw what was on Hijikata-san’s lap, being clutched in the Vice-commander’s grip.

“… Sorry for intruding.”

He walked as fast as his feet could take him, Shinpachi immediately grabbed Kagura as well when he found her clutching a pink box.

“Shinpachi, what’s this? I found it in the trash—” He just dragged the blinking girl away from the Yorozuya household. They were on the bottom of the stairs when Shinpachi grabbed the pink box.

“This, Kagura-chan, is pregnancy test.”

* * *

“I am once again asking you to tell me the result, Hijikata.”

“…”

“Hijikata, I’m begging you.”

“…”

“ _Toushirou_ —”

“P-positive.”

“TOOOOSHIIIIIIIIIII—"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Gin-san?”
> 
> “Ah, gotta go, I’ll call you again later!” And then the line dies.
> 
> “Was that Gin-chan?” Shinpachi hums the affirmation.
> 
> “Kagura-chan, I think you need to stay with us for a week or so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm just imagining this entire fic in my head like the whole anime

“I can’t thank you enough for acting immediately, Shinpachi.”

“It’s fine, Gin-san. I don’t know much, but I gathered enough from school back then, so I know what to do. It was a long time ago, but I still remembered some of it. Though, you should’ve noticed it first, Gin-san. That’s just bad manner, he’s your mate, isn’t he?”

“Argh, I can’t help it, can I? My nose still clogged from the cold.” Shinpachi hears rustling so he guesses the other is ruffling his silver permy head.

“Hijikata-san isn’t home?”

“Gorilla and Sofa-kun took him for last minute paperworks. He called them earlier and they picked him up immediately. Tch, can’t they just _smell_ it, hah?! They just kidnapped my mate like that, _MY PREGNANT MATE_ —”

“I can see why Hijikata-san went with them.”

“Shinpaaaachiiii, I can’t take it, this is killing me, it’s been like an hour already, _why won’t they return my maaaateeee…_ He’s in such a fragile state, what would happen if some Amanto terrorist attack—what would happen if they attack him—I’M NOT THERE TO PROTECT HI—”

Shinpachi holds the phone at an arm length, tuning out his boss’ distress. He was the second child, so he never knew about things going on with mated pairs, such as worrying about the other’s health. It’s hilarious seeing Gintoki fretting over his mate, that good-for-nothing man actually has some semblance of care for someone other than himself. Well, Shinpachi knows very well how Gintoki cares for others, his way and mannerism isn’t new to him and Kagura. They witnessed first-hand how their father figure would go above and beyond for them, so Shinpachi holds that phone away with a fond smile in his face.

When the rambling seems to die down, Shinpachi puts it close to his ear again, this time only hearing rustling noises.

“Gin-san?”

“Ah, gotta go, I’ll call you again later!” And then the line dies.

“Was that Gin-chan?” Shinpachi hums the affirmation.

“Kagura-chan, I think you need to stay with us for a week or so.” Surprisingly, Kagura only mouths an O before nibbling at her sukombu again. “Let me know when’s dinner ready, I’m gonna play with Sadaharu.” Shinpachi’s smile never ceases, both of them really are more perceptive of their boss than others give them credit for.

* * *

“Yorozuya!”

“I see you’re finally bringing my mate back.” Kondo tries his best to keep his composure despite the clear as daylight glare from Gintoki. The Shinsengumi commander stands in the middle, slightly one step ahead of the two next to him. Alpha to alpha, but even Kondo knows not to mess around during this kind of time. Still, he couldn’t help the need to be the one in front.

“Danna.”

“What did you do to him—”

Hijikata lets himself in (because Gintoki really isn’t letting anything in what with him blocking the door, so Hijikata is only doing what he needed, be the ice-breaker) and takes a stand next to Gintoki for the sake of everyone. He folds his arms, knows well that this conversation will only be permitted on the porch by the Yorozuya boss.

“Nothing to worry, Gintoki! We’re just finishing some paperworks and work transfer since Toshi will be with you for the next 9 months or so. Sougo will be acting as Vice-vice-commander, he’ll be taking most of Toshi’s labours so you don’t have to worry about anything!”

“Don’t worry, Hijikata-san, leave it to me.” Sougo gives a thumbs-up.

“OI, YOUR EYES CLEARLY SAY GO DIE IN CHILDBIRTH, BASTARD!”

“I’m just joking, Hijikata-san, joking. However, if you do die during— _hrrk!_ ”

“S-Sougo—!” Kondo looks around anxiously when Hijikata doesn’t even react to that.

“Souichirou-kun,” He can’t breathe, he really can’t with Gintoki’s hand grabbing his windpipe like that. Sougo tries his best not to claw at the other’s arm, that’ll show the man how much he can’t breathe— “I don’t think you should joke around about that in front of me from now on, _yes_?”

Gintoki lets go of Sougo and the brat sags on the wooden railing, heaving. When he recovers enough to finally stand again, Sougo looks away, finding the sign two blocks from the Yorozuya place to be more interesting to inspect. It is as close as an _understood_ that you can get from him. Kondo clears his throat in attempt to regain the atmosphere.

“A-Ah, I leave Toshi in your care, Gintoki. We’ll be in contact, but don’t worry! His works will _all_ be handled, so you two can just take a break!”

“Alright.” Gintoki maintains his glare as he watches the Gorilla scampers off with the sadist boy.

He’s just about to inhale when his head immediately gets smacked by the one beside him.

“ _TOSHIIII—_ THAT HURT, OI!!!!”

“Don’t you _Toshi_ me after what you just did, you stupid perm-head bastard!”

“But—”

“The hell did you just do, I told you I’d be back, didn’t I?! That was only like, a couple of hours! Can’t you just sit down and do something else?!”

Their argument carries inside, from the hallway to the living room. From Hijikata changing his clothes for his casual yukata while Gintoki drapes himself on the sofa, to both of them prepping dinner. Their argument derails from one thing to another, as if to breathe is to tick the other person off immediately. It’s a miracle that they get along to the point of dating, to be honest. How the living hell could the two of them even mate, let alone procreate. They argue and argue over even the most miniscule thing like, “Oi, can you get me the remote.” “Get it yourself, perm-head.” “I asked nicely, didn’t I?” “You have hands, use it.” “You—”

But of course, everything aside, here they are sitting on the sofa watching some night-time game show. Hijikata draping lazily over Gintoki while the latter has one of his arms draped protectively over the other. Somewhere over the man, somewhere like close to Hijikata’s stomach, this fact doesn’t escape the Vice-commander, though he doesn’t make any comment.

“I’m just worried, you know. Can’t help it.” Gintoki mumbles as the game show host introduces the contestants. Hijikata replies with leaning down even more on Gintoki.

Gintoki has his chin rested on top of Hijikata’s head, so he really can’t see whatever expression it is the Vice-commander is pulling. There’s a faint scent of _something_ , but Gintoki can’t smell it even if he desperately wants to. Because if he inhales, he’ll sure some sneezing fit will follow. So, Sakata Gintoki can only read his mate through subtle gestures now, like this one where he can _feel_ Hijikata relaxing on top of him.

“You’re annoying when worried.”

“Ha, get ready for more worried Gin-san.” One of the contestants is eliminated. They watch in silent for a few more moment before Gintoki hears Hijikata again.

“I like it when you’re worried.”

Gintoki couldn’t stop sneezing.

“O-Oi! Unbelievable, _you_ —did you just try to scent again?!” Hijikata abruptly stands up to grab the tissue box, taking a handful out and smothering one over Gintoki’s face.

“I said I can’t helb eet—” Gintoki sneezes out the snot into the tissue. “You just said something like _that_ and I _know_ you’re giving off good smell, I can’t help myself wanting a sniff, can I?”

“Right, you’re _helpless_ , dumbass.” Hijikata leans to properly wipe Gintoki’s face, his eyes focusing on his own hand because he’s pretty sure the tips of his ears already reddening.

“Careful, I might just kiss you if you look like that, Oogushi-kun.”

“S-so?” _Ah, uncool. Why the hell did he have to stutter that?_

“I don’t want you to catch the germs, especially since you’re now pr—”

“You’re already sneezing in my face, dumbass! I’m wiping your snot, there’s no way I’m not already covered by your stupid germs, perm-head!”

“Hmm. You’re right, you’re right, Oogushi-kun.” Gintoki languidly grabs Hijikata’s hand that was wiping his face, he leans down.

“Then I’m just gonna slobber you with germs.”

They finish kissing just in time to see the game show result. Contestant no. 12 won the game, apparently. Hijikata takes his time catching his breath while Gintoki lays over him, has his nose buried in the crook of Hijikata’s neck. It’s unfair, _isn’t the idiot the one with flu? Why is he the one out of breath?_

“Oi, isn’t your nose still bad? What if you start another fit..”

“Don’t care, you smell so good.”

Ah, Hijikata can’t argue with that. Can’t argue with the heat pooling inside him. How long will he have to endure _this Gintoki_ before Hijikata turns into a pile of mush?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Change it to 8, I wanna watch Takeshi’s Castle.” Hijikata comes in with their food, Gintoki helps him with disposing tissues and setting their dishes. “You’re so loud, I can hear you thinking from the kitchen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this close to just changing this fic into script form  
> honestly i have zero ideas except for conversations

“Shinpachi, you never explained why we can’t stay with Gin-chan and Toshi anymore.” Kagura leans over from where she rides Sadaharu. Occasionally she yawns without care. The remaining of the Yorozuya-trio taking a leisure morning walk.

“Hmm? Oh, didn’t I? Ah, I forgot it seems.” Shinpachi raises his brows. Kagura just gives him a boring look identical to Gintoki. “You know how Gin-san and Hijikata-san are mates right, Kagura-chan?”

Kagura waves her hand. “Yeah, yeah, they’re just like my Mami and Papi, they’re gross.”

“Well, you’re right.” Shinpachi chuckles mirthfully, oh Kagura couldn’t be more right with such short answer. “You see, people here on Earth are categorized into 3 types. The Alpha, the Beta, then the Omega. Normal people are usually beta, like I am.”

“The boring and plain one, right.”

“O-Oi!!”

“You’re so loud, just continue, Pattsuan.”

“Tch. Anyway, then there are people like Gin-san, Alpha. They have base instinct to be protective—”

“Ah, you talk too much! You’re going from the beginning like that, I didn’t ask for introduction, you already explained that before and it was so annoying how you won’t stop talking. This and that about annoying complicated stuff, I don’t care!”

“You asked for explanation!”

“I asked why we can’t stay with Gin-chan and Toshi!”

“Well I was going to get there! You need to know their nature first so that you can understand what’s going on with them! You see, like your Mami and Papi, when an Alpha and Omega love each other very very much, th—”

Shinpachi finishes with a loud yelp, clutching his head.

“Oi, you’re not qualified to explain that, glasses.”

“Hijikata-san!” “Toshi!”

Said man folds his arms inside his yukata—Gintoki’s yukata. Shinpachi raises a brow in silent questioning but a quick sniff helps his brain clicks. Ah, right. _He_ needs to mask his scent. Shinpachi’s brow turns into a slight frown afterward when he realizes Hijikata is all by himself.

“You’re not with Gin-san?”

“Lost him.” _More like, he lost you, Hijikata-san_. Shinpachi sneers inwardly.

“Ah, that’s just like Gin-chan getting lost even in the morning. I bet he’s still in the pachinko place drooling on the floor, holding on his boots like it’s Toshi.” Hijikata huffs a laughter rather than corrects her. Somewhere in that chuckle, his gaze is lightly distant. Despite revealing nothing, the small details aren’t lost to glasses boy.

“His flu is still bad, then?” He receives a hum from Hijikata.

“Recovering. I’m savoring my last bit of freedom before the inevitable.”

“As if you have freedom from the beginning!”

“Heh, brat.” Shinpachi watches in delight as Hijikata ruffles Kagura’s hair. Both have grins plastered across their faces. Small scenes like this that makes Shinpachi’s heart doubles in size. The sun is shining, the day looks promising, this family is growing.

“But seriously, Hijikata-san, you shouldn’t walk around alone! Gin-san is wo—”

“Yeah, yeah.” Hijikata removes the hand from Kagura’s head to wave at Shinpachi. “You guys wanna see a trick I just found out?”

The two younger Yorozuyas leans in curiously, anticipation clearly written in their faces. Hijikata then takes out something from his yukata. It glints momentarily as the man pulls out one from the casing. He then puts the single cigarette in between his fingers, not even close to his face.

Then they hear the rush of someone running _too fast_ on the street. Wind and dirt follow whatever beast just arrived. Immediately that single cigarette stick already gone from Hijikata’s hand. It is now being stomped mercilessly on the ground by familiar black boots. The owner of said boots fuming like he’s the one smoking, there’s even a battle cry that follows.

Hijikata somehow remains unfazed. Amused, even.

“I thought you said his flu is still bad.”

“Yeah, but his eyesight and instinct seem to double in compensation.” Shinpachi just mouths an O.

“HIJIKATA-KUN, STOP GIVING GIN-SAN HEART-ATTACK, WILL YOU???!!!!!”

“I wasn’t gonna smoke it, you shitty perm-head! How come you can see a cigarette from miles away and not your own ugly yukata pattern, dumbass!” It’s been like this since yesterday. Gintoki fussing over every single thing, Hijikata irritated beyond compare. And yet, despite everything, one tiny part of Hijikata finds it endearing. It’s been months since they’re officially together, roughly half a year since they progressed from just friends-who-screams-at-each-other. Hijikata already went through that denial part, thus he’s now fine with admitting to his emotions every now and then. 

Hmm, things could’ve been more _unbearable_ if Gintoki didn’t catch a cold last week, huh?

“That’s it! We’re going home!” Gintoki snatches Hijikata’s hand, which he immediately receives a smack on the head from the other.

“Gin-chan so rude now! You don’t even notice me and Pattsuan!” Kagura joins in with smacking Gintoki.

“Like hell we’re going home! We needed to make an appointment, don’t you remember, bastard!” Hijikata smacks him again.

“Oi, oi, _oi!!_ My head hurts, ooooiiii!!! Cut it out!!!!”

“Appointment? You two going to the doctor?”

“Huh? Ah, y-yeah, _for you know_..” Hijikata looks sheepish but his hand still smacking Gintoki effortlessly. Shinpachi nods in understanding.

Shinpachi also understands many other things. It is exactly why that he puts a hand over Kagura’s shoulder as a signal.

“Then I leave you guys to it, have a nice day, Hijikata-san, Gin-san!” Both pairs bid each other goodbye, well Hijikata and Shinpachi that is. Gintoki looks over the two Yorozuyas but at the same time isn’t exactly looking. Like the limbo between recognition and not. Shinpachi chalks it off as the first week instinct, it’ll wear off, so he doesn’t worry about it.

“Shinpachi, hey, why is Gin-chan like that?”

“You can’t really blame him, Kagura-chan. Alpha gets very territorial especially when their omega is carrying, it’s their basic instinct. We just need to give them space for a while. Don’t worry, Gin-san will be back to normal in no time.”

* * *

It was as quick as you can get it between an overly protective alpha and an easily irritated-and-embarrassed omega. They finished making an appointment with Hijikata pretty much making all the conversation with the receptionist. Nobody, not even Gintoki himself, trust the man to do any talking. The man currently doesn’t have enough braincells to communicate without growling every two sentences. And Hijikata can’t really keep himself from berating the other whenever said growl conjured.

But they made it and are now finally home, that’s all that matters to Gintoki. Though the man lets Hijikata enters first, was the one closing the door, Gintoki wastes no time to dash into the living room, leaving Hijikata tucking their sandals and boots away. The raven head clicks his tongue at the action but follows the trail anyway. In the living room he sees Gintoki emptying his nasal cavity into a bunch of tissues.

“You’re insufferable.” Gintoki replies him with wiping his snot.

“I’m starting dinner.” Hijikata leaves the snotty alpha to his own device, disappearing to the small section of they call kitchen. Gintoki sags on the sofa, grabbing the TV remote and perusing over the channels with the volume under 5. Occasionally he sniffs, adding another to the the pile of scrunched up wet tissue on the table.

His mind is idle on choice. There’s this skittering heat underneath his skin and Gintoki knows, if his nose isn’t out of commission like now, it would’ve been worse. Troublesome primal shit or whatever it is. Something something about needing to protect the early stage to ensure his mate and child safety in early development. Annoying thing, we already have modern healthcare now, this shouldn’t be a thing anymore.

And yet Gintoki knows well, with both of their line of works, with their way of lives, bushido and what not; this primal instinct is a pillar.

“Change it to 8, I wanna watch Takeshi’s Castle.” Hijikata comes in with their food, Gintoki helps him with disposing tissues and setting their dishes. “You’re so loud, I can hear you thinking from the kitchen.”

Gintoki gives him a sour look.

“I _wasn’t_ thinking.”

“I know. That’s why I said you’re so loud.” Gintoki picks up his bowl of rice and chopsticks, ignoring Hijikata in favor of the TV show. He blinks when he takes a glance at Hijikata’s own bowl. Frowning.

“That’s not your usual dog food.”

“The hell you’re calling dog food, oi.” Hijikata cuts through his mackerel, picking a small piece and dipping it in the mayonnaise he’s poured on the corner of his plate. Now this time Gintoki frowns hard.

“You sure that amount is enough for you, Mayora?”

Hijikata mumbles something.

“I can’t hear you, _darling_.” Hijikata ends up spluttering his answer instead. “I-I said I can’t e-eat that much anymore! Shitty perm head!”

“Hoo~ What? You’re sick of mayonnaise? Really? _Mayora prince_ —” Hijakata throws his face away from Gintoki, focusing furiously on the TV screen and eating his own food.

 _Now, now, Gintoki, rethink of what you just said._ He feels like missing a key information. Gintoki thinks hard and loud, doesn’t care about the other’s annoyance anymore because that guy will sure be more annoyed if he can’t figure this one out first. He uses every last bits of braincells he has left to think and think and think and _ah_ , he remembers.

“How come I haven’t seen you puking at all?”

Hijikata nearly chokes on his food. “Y-you really gotta bring _that_ up when we’re eating?”

“C’mon, it’s not like your usual food that far away from vomit itself.” Hijikata would be furious in any other day but this time, he has to agree because Gintoki mentioning it brings the image right into his mind and he can feel something rising to his throat. 

“Tch, I do them when you’re still asleep.” Hijikata shoves more food into his face out of spite. “Anyway, I don’t get sick as much now, so long as I don’t overdo it with mayonnaise.”

“But how come I haven’t see—”

“You were sick for like a week, don’t you remember?”

Gintoki wants to slap his own face.

“DID GIN-SAN REALLY JUST _MISS_ GIVING HIS DARLING GOOD BACK RUBS WHEN HE’S PUKING HIS GUTS OUT IN THE TOILET EVERY MORNING BECAUSE OF COLD—”

“SHUT UP AND EAT YOUR FOOD, BASTARD!”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gintoki sees Hijikata returning to their cart with two bottles of mayonnaise. Out of habit and consideration, Gintoki walks to grab another bottle.
> 
> “These are enough.” Gintoki stops halfway picking up the bottle.
> 
> “You sure?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i need ginhiji i need ginhiji i need ginhiji i need ginhiji i need ginhiji i need ginhiji i need ginhiji i need ginhiji i need ginhiji

Hijikata wakes up first. That’s the law as natural as the one that dictates apple falls from the tree. It’s a habit build on years of grueling strive to become stronger and stronger. To be able to protect those he holds dear. It’s a habit like a salaryman wearing his watch on his left hand instead of right, the way people don’t pay much attention when they ‘mind the gap’ between platforms at the train station.

But lately, Hijikata been trying to reassess his definition of this habit. Maybe changing it to privilege.

Gintoki wakes up late. That’s just how he is. No exposition needed. Gintoki snores loudly when he pretends to sleep, but actually breathes quietly when he’s in deep slumber. This is something Hijikata notices after sleeping by the silver samurai’s side for quite some time now. With dawn barely breaking behind the window, Hijikata takes privilege in this sight of Sakata Gintoki. His arms wrapping around Hijikata’s waist like octopus, their legs entangled just as much. The one awake glance at the ticking Justaway, Hijikata returns his gaze at Gintoki. As he cards through the silver perm hair, Hijikata smiles to himself. He’ll wake his mate in 15 more minutes.

…

15 minutes of inhaling his mate’s scent really is a potent move. Hijikata feels nothing short of light and high as cloud now, the smile has now spread so far that his eyes crinkle in adjustment. Gintoki still asleep and that’s exactly why Hijikata smiles.

However, promise is a promise.

“Gin, wake up.” No response. Ah, his bad, his voice was soft and gentle, after all.

Hijikata runs his hand through Gintoki’s hair again.

“Wake up, hey.” Still not raising his voice. That sweet and comforting scent still heavy in his body, he can’t really bring himself to yell now. The one being pampered only snuggled closer to his life-sized body pillow. Gintoki makes himself comfortable around Hijikata’s chest, inhaling contently.

Hijikata sighs in defeat. Lately he’s been losing so many battles.

He returns his patterned motion of idly combing his mate’s hair. Every now and then he calls for the other’s name, he receives nothing in return except for a slight muscle movement every now and then.

It’s early in the morning but you could say it’s late on Hijikata Toushirou’s dictionary. However, with his work now lifted off his shoulders for the next year or so, and with how Gintoki’s laziness slowly but surely dripping into his own veins; Hijikata lets himself be lazy. It’s quiet, it’s calm, it’s good quality time with his mate that he doesn’t get often normally. More like he himself doesn’t allow this to normally occur, he couldn’t possibly tarnish his reputation as first-rate tsundere. _Think of the ratings!!!_ He imagines Gintoki will scream.

“Gin,” He tries again, nonetheless. He savors this kind of moment where he can call his mate’s name without having to strain his throat.

The call elicits a move from the other, Gintoki shuffles closer to Hijikata seeking warmth unconsciously. That move performs a domino effect in which one of the curly silver strands grazes the tip of Hijikata’s nose, and as natural result, Hijikata sneezes.

“We’re going to the doctor.” Gintoki bolts himself up in lightning speed, yanking their blanket off, was just about to lift Hijikata off bridal-style and all when his face was immediately met with Hijikata’s palm. The man already fuming with both irritation and embarrassment.

“You sneeze! You caught my germs, what did I tell you last night, hah! We need to go to the doctor now—” Gintoki answers the silent retort from Hijikata.

“I’m not sick, asshole! Your shitty hair made me sneeze!”

“But we still need to go to the doctor!!”

“Not in another two hours!!!”

“ _Oh_ , then,” Gintoki pulls back the blanket, tucks himself and Hijikata back to their original position.

“oyasu—”

“OYASUMI MY ASS, WAKE UP, BASTARD!!”

* * *

Gintoki shoves a finger inside his left nostril as he mindlessly pushes the shopping cart following Hijikata. They decided for grocery shopping after they were done with the first-of-many doctor appointment. Gintoki feigns his usual indifference while in truth, his mind still processing the thought of his mate and the pup he’s carrying. Their pup. _Their_.

Gintoki hisses in pain at the nail scratching the inside of his nose.

The idiot alpha focuses himself back to staring at Hijikata’s back as they peruse the isles. Hijikata wearing his Wednesday kimono. It’s a good look that does more than just facial satisfaction to the alpha. Gintoki quips when he feels like it about the look, but even he knows well the main reason for Hijikata wearing his clothes in public.

_“I see you’re already scenting properly.” The doctor had pointed out with her pen and smile at Hijikata seating next to Gintoki. “Wearing your mate’s clothes is a good way to keep your mate’s scent with you and your hormone balanced during this time. I suggest more for the first four weeks as it is crucial for the baby development. We’ll see the progression throughout your check-ups.” Both Hijikata and Gintoki had nodded mutely at the good doctor, intently listening. “Nothing to worry about, Hijikata-san. Your test result shows good sign of a healthy pregnancy. It should be fine.” They both nodded again._

Gintoki sees Hijikata returning to their cart with two bottles of mayonnaise. Out of habit and consideration, Gintoki walks to grab another bottle.

“These are enough.” Gintoki stops halfway picking up the bottle.

“You sure?”

“My appetite is changing, we shouldn’t waste.” Hijikata keeps his pace again wandering the dairy product isle. Gintoki follows after eyeing at the sight of a pack of sliced cheese underneath the detergent in their cart.

They arrive at the milk section. Gintoki wastes no time in grabbing a handful of strawberry milk cartons, dumping a bunch on the cart. He’s just about to grab a couple more when he notices at his side, someone picking up one carton of milk with pale yellow-ish packaging. That carton then dumped alongside the pink ones in the cart and Gintoki scrutinizes at the cheese flavored milk.

_Hijikata made his way first to the pharmacy. Gintoki took that chance to ask another question to the doctor. “Uh, doc, I wanna ask, what about things like wanting weird food? You know, like how they show it on television dramas,” Gintoki gestured vaguely._

_“What, you mean like cravings?” Gintoki continued to gesture vaguely, nervously. “Oh, don’t need to worry. It’s not as random as they show it on television. Pregnancy will affect appetites, but you needn’t be worried. However, if your mate is craving for dangerous substances, you should stop it immediately.” Gintoki nodded at her._

_“You’ll take good care of your mate, even without me tell you, I’m sure you’ll do your best, Sakata-san.” She smiled at him._

He keeps that cheese in mind but doesn’t mention it to the other. He also doesn’t mention their morning routines, gentle Hijikata with soft voice and all. He’ll feign ignorance tomorrow and the next day and the next day until Hijikata finally catches on the sleeping act. Until then, he’ll savor that hand combing through his hair to himself like the selfish idiot he definitely is.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Channel 8.”
> 
> “Takeshi’s Castle again? Really?” Gintoki sneers.
> 
> “You like it too, don’t lie.” The man obliges with changing the channel to the desired one before picking up his own bowl and chopstick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly writing this fic mostly for myself. i just want domestic ginhiji.  
> dont exactly have a certain direction, that's why i say slice of life

Life goes on undisturbed. Time moves on without glancing back because life and all it encompasses are linear in nature. Or perhaps it’s just our nature to perceive it as so. Our limitation dictates us to move forward and only forward. Look back to the past all you want but it will all be fuzzy memories fated to be digested by the paper shredder. Regrets exist in the present so the past may be remembered. The future demands it to be forgotten but the entire linear-ness of it clearly state of a perceivable timestamp. The future doesn’t exist without the past.

Hijikata laments his past with Gintoki.

_Tch._

Hormonal shit.

He’s seated on Gintoki’s ‘office’ chair while the owner is splayed across the sofa reading JUMP. (“Hey, that’s Gin-san’s private chair!” “It’s just a chair, asshole.” “But that’s MY chair!” “What are you, five?!” “Get off!” “Tch, b-bastard—It’s not like I want to sit on your smelly cha—” “… Hah, why can’t you just be honest for once.”) Hijikata sits facing the window, squinting his eyes as if trying to catch the falling droplets of rain like in the Matrix. The smell of petrichor really makes him wanna sneeze, but he can’t let himself do that. This is quiet with the downpour making a racket outside, this is meant to be lazy and comfortable with him engulfed in his mate’s sweet scent. Still, he’s fuming without a smoke.

So, he glares at the window, kills time before he has to prepare dinner. It’s a dull repetition of waking up, breakfast, does nothing, does nothing again, dinner, more nothing, sleep. With bathroom breaks here and there. (“Where’s lunch?” “Only people who is working hard on their job deserves lunch.” “But we’re hard-workers too, you know.” “Like hell we are now!” “Yeah, yeah, good point.”) Dull as hell when his old schedule was set on strict hours. It really _really_ doesn’t help that a lot of things that he indulges are banned now. For a nicotine addict having to let go of smoking for roughly a year, Hijikata wants to bite the table.

But he’s a man of great self-preservation. He’s a rule-abiding citizen and civil servant, he can deal with not smoking. Can deal with the prickly sense of _Where the fuck is my cigarette?!_ repairing his lungs. Because of course, his idiot alpha is not the only one excited about this child they’ll be bringing into the world.

Hijikata guesses it was from his last heat. By miracle his heat and Gintoki’s rut aligned like the stars at Tanabata allowing Orihime-sama and Hikoboshi-sama to be reunited. That one must be it because that had been one memorable s-sex. (Hell, what is he?! Middle school boy?! They’ve had rougher one, for fuck’s sake.) Memorable in the sense that it wasn’t rough like they both had expected to be. Rather than sex, Hijikata would actually call it love-making, and that’s just to give a hint of how— _embarrassingly emotional_ it was. Hijikata is adamant that _that was it_.

One of them had _begged_. Hijikata refuses to acknowledge who it was.

He clenches his teeth to hold down his embarrassment. Come on, where is his inner demonic vice-commander, where is his demon when he needs it.

Hijikata snaps out of his daze when he realizes Gintoki is standing next to him. The man plucks something out of Hijikata’s finger and only after seeing the man chucking it into the trashcan, he realizes that was his cigarette. Unlit, but Hijikata blinks at it nonetheless. Because that cigarette isn’t the only one inside that can, both knows.

Gintoki returns to his sofa and manga without uttering a word.

That was out of habit, again.

He was just about to say something, _anything_ —when he glances at the clock instead. He’s killed enough time to warrant him an escape to this thick atmosphere. Hijikata stands, he thinks about making oyako-don tonight. He was chopping the onion when he hears noises from the entryway.

“I’m off to buy pudding, won’t be long.”

Hijikata only pauses for two seconds before continuing with dinner. His mind drifts here and there, but nothing in particular that worth a tale. He’s done preparing their dishes on the table when he hears the other returns. Gintoki plops himself on the opposite sofa and drops the small plastic bag at the end of the table.

“Channel 8.”

“Takeshi’s Castle again? Really?” Gintoki sneers.

“You like it too, don’t lie.” The man obliges with changing the channel to the desired one before picking up his own bowl and chopstick. They eat in relative silent, occasionally pointing out stuff from the show. (“Kondo-san participated once, you know.” “Pfft, for real? That gorilla, did he even pass the first round?” “Almost made it to the last one. But he jumped on the wrong hole.” “Why am I not surprised.”)

They watch, they eat, they clean the table once they’re finished. Gintoki returns first to the living room to grab his pack of custard pudding, in his process revealing the inside of the bag more to Hijikata. Gintoki pays no attention and returns to watching the TV with his pudding. Hijikata, however, spots a small packet inside the bag. Curiously, he grabs said packet.

Hijikata blinks, gingerly opens the wrapping and takes out one stick. He sniffs at it.

“Mint chocolate flavor. That’s the only one available.” Gintoki quips with eyes still glued on the TV screen.

There is familiarity with the weight of this fake cigarette candy in between his fingers that eases something inside him. He doesn’t realize he lets out his scent absentmindedly until he finds Gintoki moving from his original position on the other sofa. The man places himself next to Hijikata and pulls the other to lean on his chest.

Hijikata lets out another wave of scent as he leans back comfortably, fake cigarette in his mouth.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who cares, we’re on maternity leave, aren’t we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this at 2 am and immediately uploaded it  
> let me regret it like tomorrow or something

Hijikata wouldn’t have suggested it had it not been over two weeks after their last doctor visit. About a week or so since Gintoki fully recovered from his cold. They were both right about Gintoki being insanely annoying during the first week, now that his nose is free from snot. He’s practically attached to his mate 24/7, conjoined by the hips or something. Arms always around Hijikata’s waist and face buried where the back of his head connected with his spine. Intoxicated would be an understatement at how much Gintoki is inhaling his mate’s scent.

“You’re so sweet, like sweeter than parfaits, it’s unreal. Hell, this is way better than parfaits.” Hijikata had replied with spluttering incorrigible syllables with a redden face. He’s pretty much settled that he’s second in Sakata Gintoki’s love chart with parfait of course placing first, just as much as Gintoki is only second to Mayo in his own chart. It doesn’t occur to him that things like _this_ could happen and demands him to reassess his ranking.

Gintoki would just blurt out sweet nothings like his filter is broken or something. Hijikata would flush out of _everything_. Then Gintoki would be instantly pressed on him because nothing escapes this particular alpha, certainly not the fact that every time Hijikata blushes, he seems to unconsciously release a small wave of his scent into the room. Like the glutton guy that he is, Gintoki plans to not let anyone take not even a whiff of this scent.

Gintoki devours all that is Hijikata’s. And in the process, Hijikata now absolutely reeks of Gintoki.

So, Hijikata had prepared his argument beforehand, he needs new clothes that doesn’t reek of a sugar freak alpha. It’s a weak argument, that he admits. The truth is much simpler in that he just wants to go outside. It’s boring and inching towards depressing how they’ve been stuck inside for so long.

Plus, it’s already almost two weeks, Gintoki’s bout of alpha-ness has got to subside a bit, yea’?

“I’m sick of wearing your boring kimono all the time when I’m outside. Don’t you have anything else?! They all look exactly the same, tch.”

“Oi! That’s mark of a great protagonist! It’s a trademark look, be grateful I’m even allowing you to wear it!”

“You don’t even wear it properly, bastard!” Hijikata huffs, he knows well where their argument will spiral into, so he takes control of it before it descends into shithole. Hijikata has his eyes on the prize and he’s not letting it go easy. “Anyway, we’re buying new clothes tomorrow. I don’t care what you think, I’m sick of wearing the same clothes, also you need new clothes as well.”

Gintoki looks annoyed but in a more settled kind of way. “The audience wouldn’t be able to recognize us with new clothes, we won’t stand out with our silhouettes anymore,” There is defeat and compliance in Gintoki’s voice and Hijikata knows, the man understands the real reason even without having it be uttered. They share the same wavelength after all.

“Who cares, we’re on maternity leave, aren’t we?”

Gintoki grumbles into the JUMP he lays on top of his face again. Gintoki isn’t the only one who knows the other’s new trait. Hijikata has his own, one where he knows the mention of a certain themed words will turn Gintoki into a mush. It’s a hit or miss, but always a hit when it’s just the two of them.

Hijikata smirks in triumphant while making dinner.

* * *

They were tricked into buying couple-matched yukata. The moment they set on the department store; hawks were on them immediately. Hijikata instantly dragged into the maternity clothing section, to which he also instantly bolted away saying through gritted teeth “No thanks, we’re just here for male yukata—". But that had just resulted in them being dragged into couple clothing. From the tackiest pair with neon colors that threatened to blind your eyes, to the most boring ‘matching pattern’. _God, they really reek, huh._

They ended up buying three sets, all couple sets because those were literally the only one the dept store _allowed_ them to buy. Not matching in color like an exact copy because that would just be blatant couple clothing, embarrassing shit. But color coordinated with subtle matching patterns. Tolerable.

The sun is in the horizon as they make their way home. Both Gintoki’s hands are full of their shopping bags (“Oi, help me carry one, will you?” “What, you’re going to make your pregnant mate carry heavy stuff, how nasty of you, samurai-san.” “…”). Their pace in tandem, the sound of boots and sandals hitting the hard ground a rhythmic bliss. It lulls Hijikata into a certain territory.

“Let’s eat ramen.” Gintoki turns at his mate, raising an eyebrow. “Hah?”

“It’s been so long, let’s go eat ramen while we’re here.” Gintoki’s eyebrow descends into a thought, but he dismisses it immediately as they both head to Ikumatsu’s place.

“Oh, Gintoki, long time no see.” Ikumatsu shots the pair a greeting.

“Gintoki!”

“Yo, Zura.”

“It’s not Zura, it’s Katsura. Oh! The Shinsengumi Vice-chief! Damn—” Katsura scrambles for a moment before facing back at the new customers with a fake mustache sticker on his face.

“As if that even work, stupid.” Gintoki smacks Katsura’s head, taking a seat next to him while Hijikata takes his place as well.

“Relax, I’m not gonna arrest you today, I’m not on duty.” Katsura turns thoughtful, then he takes a sniff.

“Oh, I see! You’re on maternity leave! Congratulations are in order! Finally Gintoki, you're going to be a father, I always knew you’d be able to procreate—” Gintoki smacks him again.

“Shut up, Zura.” Katsura mumbles something in the background while Gintoki gives his focus away to ordering with Ikumatsu. “Two mi—”

“I want shio ramen.”

Gintoki turns to Hijikata. From confusion to fake-hurt eyes. “I thought we’re sworn miso ramen buddies like Naruto, Oogushi-kun, _how could you betray me like this_.” He fake-clutch his chest in fake-hurt.

“Shio ramen and miso for him, Ikumatsu-san.” Hijikata takes his fake-cigarette packet from his pocket and puts one stick in his mouth. Katsura sees this and immediately makes a racket.

“You shouldn’t smoke when you’re pregnant! That’s dangerous—”

Hijikata faces Katsura and takes a crunching bite. Katsura stands in further confusion.

“Can I get one too, _dear_.”

“Get your own, perm head.”

“Oi, I _bought_ you that!”

* * *

It’s three days after that, somewhere in the middle of the night. Shinpachi is back visiting the Yorozuya Gin-chan and Kagura is back sleeping in the closet. They were just welcomed that very morning. Gintoki would be fine with recounting the return if not for this drowsiness. He squints his bleary eyes at the fridge, the light inside blinding his eyes. His body isn’t awake yet, let alone his brain. But he fights through the sleepiness as his eyes scan the inside of his fridge. He found the packet he’s looking.

“I want cheese ramen.” Hijikata had woken him up at 2 in the morning. It’s a testament of his love when instead of hissing on top of his lung, Gintoki just said okay and went to the kitchen.

Here he are, opening the 3-minute instant ramen lid open to find the content edible now. Gintoki tears the packet he takes out from the fridge just now, plops it on top of the ramen.

Gintoki stares and the sliced cheese on top of the instant ramen stares back at him. He covers his eyes with his palm.

He then returns to their room with the ramen and Hijikata’s chopsticks. The customer of this shitty ramen joint turns around to face Gintoki. He takes the ramen and immediately digs in, mumbling a thanks beforehand.

 _Oh, hell._ Is the thought inside Gintoki’s head as he watches Hijikata slurps at the noodles like it’s the best thing that has ever happened to him.

 _Oh, fucking hell._ Gintoki nearly in tears as he watches his mate drinks down the shitty cheesy instant ramen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know, cheese is like in the middle between mayonnaise and strawberry milk  
> dairy but savory  
> ish


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijikata’s blush deepens when he realizes his experience with these things are mainly sourced by Sakata Gintoki and no one—nothing else.

_The Land of Samurai. It’s been quite a while since our country has been called that. Twenty years ago, a race called the Amanto seized power and established a prohibition on all swords—wait, hold on, why am I narrating this again? What am I even narrating? This is not that kind of story, why am I even—_

_Oh._

_Right._

_The sword._

_Well, it’s classified as a sword, right? A bokken, that is._

Domestic violence comes to mind first when Shinpachi first take a sight of what’s going on in Gintoki’s (and Hijikata’s, surely, surely it’s _theirs_ ) room. In an impressive stalemate considering Hijikata’s condition, the man is gripping tightly to the hilt of Gintoki’s bokken. The tip is stopped mid-swing, clasped in equal power by Gintoki. No one moves, Shinpachi squints at the déjà vu.

“Lunch is ready.”

“SHINPACHI! WAIT!!” Gintoki throws something at Shinpachi and said thing hits him right on his face. It plops down to his hand.

“I’m not taking part in your lover’s quarrel, oi! Don’t drag me into your violence play!” Shinpachi sees a hue on Hijikata’s face but the man is still maintaining his death grip on that bokuto, in fact from the change of atmosphere in the room, he’s increasing his push to probably slash Gintoki in half. Or something.

“How is this a play?! Are you blind, oi, do you need to visit the doctor and get new prescription for your glasses, hah?!” The Demonic Vice-Commander that he has come to call mate is not weakening his strength, Gintoki grits his teeth. “HURRY UP AND BUY ANOTHER PACK, DUMBASS!”

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING DUMBA—” Shinpachi looks what’s in his hand. He walks away from immediately from the scene to the front door. Kagura sees him from the living room and asks for lunch, which Shinpachi replies with “Let’s get you some sukombu, Kagura-chan.” and what is Kagura if not a naïve girl with only one desire in heart. They both leave the Yorozuya Gin-chan household without looking back. Not even a glance at the noise of something being thrown, clashing, breaking, and screaming voices from that place.

Today’s lunch was katsu-don.

* * *

“I’m not apologizing.”

“Didn’t you learn a thing or two about manners from your mom? It _hurts_ , oi.”

“I said I’m not apologizing.” Hijikata says again with fake cigarette candy in between his fingers.

“That wasn’t even cute or tsundere anymore, that was just plain domestic violence—”

“That’s why, I said, I’m _not_ apologizing.” Gintoki hisses at the rubbing alcohol Hijikata just dapped on his cheek. Sure, the Demonic Vice-Commander has the same unshaken stern in his face (“Stop frowning, you’re adding more wrinkles to your already wrinkly as bed sheet face.” “Die, perm head.”). But ain’t that face an open book. His scent always flares in a certain way and Gintoki has his dictionary database practically completed. Gintoki clicks his tongue. First rate tsundere is incredibly _troublesome_.

“How many times have I told you, be more honest, you stinky mayora.” Gintoki groans into the crook of Hijikata’s neck, bruised cheek be dammed. His arms slithers around his mate’s waist and pulls him closer. “At least be more honest with Gin-san, will you?”

There is only one reply and that is Hijikata patting Gintoki’s back. That produces a small smirk on Gintoki’s face, but neither knows what the other’s expression is and neither cares. Their scents already engulf each other, melting into one. Spoken without speaking. One of Gintoki’s hand reaches up to hold Hijikata’s head, fingers lacing with that dark locks.

Kagura slams open the door.

“Lunch is ready, you stinky homos.”

* * *

Their life is always an episode, a mishmash of ‘Soup of the day’ and ‘This week’s special’. Their antics the ‘Chef’s recommendation’ with poorly rasterized image of a stolen thumb-up png. You don’t get anything straight from them, figuratively and _figuratively_. You don’t use straight lines when drawing a shit, after all. The stinky lines are also squidgy.

Because their life always seems to skip on the eyes of the audience, a month or so has passed. More can pass easily but this episodic diorama they call their lives is already fitted into a timeframe, one that already has a set beginning and predictable middle. It’s a segment worthy of fully animated powerpoint looking ass time arrow that spirals into its own doom with Gintoki’s monotonous narration, truly yours indeed.

So, for today’s episode, the Yorozuya trio begins their bright new day by greeting off Hijikata at the doorway as they off to resume their odd jobs. They’re regaining their old routines once all four of them deem Gintoki is stable enough to be on certain length from his mate. That assessment isn’t without trials and errors. This is their second day in testing the water by going to work and have Hijikata be a sitting duck at home. Hijikata lamely agreed with Shinpachi’s idea, so now he has the Yorozuya house all to himself for the day.

Putting a fake cigarette candy in his mouth, Hijikata stands in the middle of living room ready with yukata sleeves tied, donning a strawberry pattern print apron and a matching do-rags. If there’s one thing for sure about the man is that he likes his place tidy and clean. Now that this always-late-in-paying-rent place is more or less _his_ place as well, Hijikata _will_ force his way into making it tidy and clean. He readies himself with the proper strategy and weaponry for house-cleaning.

First, the strategy. Hijikata decides to dissect the cleaning process by rooms according to their sizes. He starts with the smallest like the entryway, their small kitchen, before going to the main places like the living room and Gintoki’s bedroom. Bathroom and toilet require separate attention and treatment, so he saves that for last.

In hindsight, he shouldn’t have underestimated the shits in Gintoki’s room. He should’ve known, should’ve thought it through while he was mindlessly cleaning the hall in the beginning, that by housing two minors in his house, Gintoki’s room is his sanctuary for all his adult interests. He shouldn’t have been surprised as well because he _knows damn well_ the toys Gintoki keeps in his room. The DVDs shouldn’t be a surprise, it’s not like the man hides his pervert-ness anyway. Gintoki wears his disgusting libido on his sleeves.

It’s just that Hijikata , in contrast, restricts himself when it comes to indulging in fantasies. As he rummages around this cardboard box filled with a handful amount of DVDs (Not going to mention the protruding thing at the bottom of the box, not going to notice those protruding thing), Hijikata can’t help the flush coloring his face. It’s normal to be embarrassed, right? He’s normal, but not in the sense that he indulges in seeing these kinds of things. He’s confiscated more than enough from The Shinsengumi barrack to notice that some of these DVDs sleeves are recognizable by him. Of course, normal that he is, he’s never watched any of them.

Hijikata’s blush deepens when he realizes his experience with these things are mainly sourced by Sakata Gintoki and no one—nothing else.

The Demonic Vice-Commander hides his face in his palms.

In an adamant attempt to regain his pride (What pride in the first place?), Hijikata picks one DVD randomly from the box (believed it to be random because he _swears_ , he closed his eyes picking it). But this wouldn’t be Gintama without fate working in beautiful and amazing way. The DVD is an Alpha/Omega porn with pregnant sex on the cover.

Hijikata shoves that thing back in the box, and the box back into the small corner of the closet, instantly.

* * *

“Oi, where’s your phone? I wanna see theater showing schedule for next Sunday.”

“Tch, buy your own damn phone, asshole.” Hijikata says that but he actually throws his phone in Gintoki’s direction. The lazy bastard catches it and sing-songs a thanks.

It’s somewhere before bedtime and the light from the phone screen is the only illuminating the room now as Hijikata just turned off the lights. “Charge it before you go, I’m heading to sleep first.”

Gintoki waves his mate goodnight as he walks to the toilet, Hijikata’s phone in hand and he opens the web browser. Like the good web browser it is, when he clicks at the search bar, it shows the last thing searched on it.

Gintoki isn’t inept with technology, contrary to popular belief. He’s the kind that _chooses_ to be oblivious to the advancement of the world out of total _spite_. In a way, Gintoki is actually more proficient than Hijikata. He certainly knows how to operate a phone more than the owner, pretty sure he knows how to delete browsing history. Unlike the owner of the phone.

Gintoki stares and the words stare back at him.

‘Can you have sex during pregnancy’

Gintoki almost crushes the phone in his hand, all desire for one last piss before bedtime gone in an instant. Even all intention to browse for next Sunday’s theater showing gone, his plan for a movie date also gone.

Gintoki returns to their bedroom with Hijikata already fast asleep in his futon, his back and steady breathing the only one facing him.

_‘Can you have sex during pregnancy’_

Sakata Gintoki asks the same question to the search engine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh how to write, how to write~


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you want action, sci-fi, or romantic comedy?” Gintoki’s voice is just as sleepy.
> 
> “Does it even matter?”

On Saturday Hijikata poked his head from the kitchen to see what was going on inside the living room. Rather than the usual boisterous chatter from the troublesome pseudo father-daughter duo whenever they watch night-time game shows, it was frankly quiet in there. Like the suspicious wife Hijikata was slowly becoming—he pressed his ear against the door screen.

“Listen, tomorrow, you go stay at Shinpachi’s again. Here’s for some snacks or something.” Hijikata guessed Gintoki was giving Kagura some cash.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you want me gone for a week again or what?”

“Nah, just a day. You can back whenever on Monday.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Oi, stop wiping your snot on my clothes.”

“Likewise, lazy perm head.”

And that’s how Hijikata figured out they’re going on a _date_ rather than just a simple movie outing the next day. Gintoki eventually broke his plan on Hijikata that night.They prepare their futons, slip underneath their blankets, and stare at the ceiling for a good three minutes or so. Like instant ramen.

“Mayora,” Gintoki moves first, he scoots over to Hijikata and the other already knows what to do. They automatically assume the position with Gintoki wrapping his arms around Hijikata’s waist, hands over the other’s belly, again. The one being spooned realize that his mate is developing a new liking to this spooning thing after a week going through it. Gintoki would steal a few cuddles here and there, only at home, mostly in bed or when Kagura and Shinpachi aren’t hanging out. Makes Hijikata wants to bonk the other’s head. Embarrassing. Why the sudden lovey-dovey act, you sickly sweet sugar freak.

Hijikata never complained, isn’t intending to ever do that.

“What?” He drawls in a slightly sleepy voice.

“Do you want action, sci-fi, or romantic comedy?” Gintoki’s voice is just as sleepy.

“Does it even matter?”

“Or do you want all three? They’re rerunning some Mar*el movies.”

“Mar*el movies aren’t romcom.”

“Oh, right. That’s Shr*k, isn’t it?”

“What else on their list?”

“Hmm, Pirates of the Edo.”

“Let’s watch that.”

Comes the next morning, Gintoki looks and sounds fresher than any other days. It’s clearly something when the man decides to be the one in charge for breakfast. Hijikata offers a hand but is immediately shooed (“Go back to sleep. I’ll wake you up when it’s ready.” “It’s breakfast, how long do you think you’re going to take, it’s just tamago kake gohan.”) back into the living room. Hijikata wakes up Kagura instead.

It’s sunny side up eggs served nicely on the table. The three of them eats their breakfast in decent silence, save for a quip every now and then (“Toshi, are you no longer the Mayora Prince from Planet Mayo?” “He gets sick eating mayonnaise now, Kagura-chan. Isn’t that just sad?” “Oh, you’re still puking, Toshi? You puke a lot when Gin-chan was sick, are you still sick, Toshi?” “C-cut it out, you two. We’re not having this conversation over breakfast.” “Yes, mami. “Yes, mother.” “Shut up!”). After breakfast, Kagura waves them goodbye for the day.

“Hey, let’s wear our new yukata.” Gintoki suggests with a grin on his face, already picking out the two set of yukata, one in white, the other in almost black. The yukata both have matching subtle gold pattern at the end of the sleeves. Now, the twist here is that Gintoki’s is the dark one while Hijikata’s the white one, a new contrasting look that’s clearly adventurous for both of them, but it suits them well. Hijikata slightly reddens at that. How more of a date is this going to be—

They ride instead of walk to the cinema, despite it being a fairly short distance from the Yorozuya Gin-chan. Gintoki insists as he slaps the helmet on Hijikata’s head, something about not letting his mate walk that far. Followed by Hijikata snapping that he can still walk that distance. But what is Hijikata if not a very compliance mate these days. He just wraps his hands around Gintoki’s mid to secure himself on the scooter. (“Park it properly or I’ll be the one giving you the ticket.” “You got demoted into traffic policeman now, huh? Aren’t you off duty, policeman-san?” “Dumbass, just park it somewhere!” “Yes, yes, policeman- _chan_ —oi!! My head!!!”)

Gintoki brings them their caramel popcorn bag and guides them to their seats. He was just about to buy them their popcorn separately like they always do when Hijikata stopped him, saying that he was okay with Gintoki’s sweet one. Gintoki’s heart had doubled then and there. They enjoy the movie, laughing along the comedy, excited throughout the actions. They end up watching two movies in a row, both from the Pirates of Edo franchise. It’s close to sunset when they’re out from the cinema. (“Joh**y De** really is the coolest.” “Gin-san’s cooler than that beardy guy.” “Pft, you’re the lamest. No way do you compare to someone like De**.” “Oi, I’m the coolest shounen protagonist out there!” “You’re not a h*llyw**d actor, of course you’re lame. Anyway, stop being jealous, let’s grab something to eat.” “O-oi! I’m not jea—” “Yeah, yeah, let’s go, asshole.”)

It’s endearing to watch Gintoki throughout the entire day. Hijikata won’t say it out loud but he really do appreciates Gintoki’s effort today. For what occasion, he doesn’t particularly know. He figures his mate is just in the mood or something. That seems to always be the case with the strawberry milk loving alpha. Hijikata almost, _almost_ wants to hold Gintoki’s hand in public.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Hmm.” Hijikata takes out one of his fake cigarettes from its plastic packet. He’d thought about moving them to his usual cigarette case. He decided against doing so, it might just backfire and made his old addiction back full force. Hijikata puts one in his mouth. “I know a place, it’s on the other side of Kabuki-cho, though.” It’s a place him and Kondo-san frequented.

Gintoki brings them to their parked scooter, holding out the helmet for Hijikata, and then patting the headlight. “Aren’t you glad I brought this baby, heh.”

Hijikata snaps the candy in half with his teeth, he then takes out the other end of the candy and shoves it into Gintoki’s mouth. “Just drive.”

They ride through the setting sun. Hijikata guides him with the direction. It wasn’t long with a scooter and they arrive in the area in relative short time. Hijikata was just about to point of the precise location when a slight feeling tells him that Gintoki already knows his way to the place. He took the right turn when Hijikata forgot to tell him to turn.

They stop at the cozy snack bar. Snack Ryuugujo, it’s a really nice place and sort of a haven for him and Kondo-san. “The food here is good, the owner is a really nice old lady. It’s pretty far from the main street but it’s a really great place.” Hijikata leads them in.

“Welcome, welcome. Ah! If it isn’t Vice-chief-danna. Your loud friend not with you today?”

“No, I’m with another one.” Hijikata sidesteps so that the lady could see Gintoki.

“Ho, long time no see, Otohime-baba.”

“You really haven’t changed at all, Gin-san.”

Hijikata blinks. _What?_

“You look well, might even say better than before. You finally found the cure to old age, huh?” Gintoki snickers, taking a seat and pushing another next to him for Hijikata as well. The raven takes the seat in a stunned silence.

“Nonsense, that sort of thing is well off in the past.” Otohime chuckles, her eyes crinkle with the smile.

Hijikata still stunned. “You… know this place?” This is his first time bringing Gintoki here, right?

“Eh, sort of. Baba here,” Gintoki points at Otohime. “used to be a real ugly queen of the sea.”

“What do you guys would like to have?”

“I’ll have your special.” Gintoki grins and Otohime smiles. Hijikata feels left out for some reason.

“I’ll have the same…”

Hijikata faces Gintoki when Otohime leaves the two be. “How do you know?” His mate rests his chin on his palm.

“You know that one time everyone in Edo turned into old men and women. Turns out that old lady there is really obsessed with being the prettiest, so she turned everyone ugly. I saved her from her crumbling palace.”

Hijikata huffs. “Should’ve known you’d be involved.” A small part of him, the tiniest, right in the corner of his chest, deflates at the thought that Gintoki already knows this place. Even already familiar with the old lady—Otohime-san.

They eat, they chat. Otohime joins their conversation and it’s a lively night overall. When Gintoki and Otohime talks, Hijikata can’t really follow their train of conversation. He’s missing bits of information, after all. So he opts to just listen to them. It’s really _really_ nice, this place is still a haven to him.

Otohime serves them a bottle of sake, on the house, she says. Hijikata declines with proper explanation, to which Otohime congratulates both of them. Her smile seems to widen. What surprises him is when Gintoki declines as well.

“You can still drink, you know. It’s fine.”

“Shouldn’t you be happy that I’m not drinking and driving? Careful, can’t have people hear a police officer suggesting naughty things now, can we?” There’s a wide grin as Gintoki takes a sip of his ocha. “Besides, it’s not fun without you.”

Hijakata just blushes away behind his own drink.

“You sure you can chastise yourself for 9 months?”

“Nope~”

* * *

Hijikata and Gintoki assume their usual position in bed. Gintoki was just about to drift to sleep when Hijikata mumbles something.

“Hhu? Speak louder will you?”

“It was gonna be a surprise. I didn’t know you already know..” Gintoki raises a sleepy eyebrow. It takes time for him to digest the words.

“It’s a special place.” Hijikata sighs and Gintoki still tries to digest his words.

Oh.

Gintoki buries his face in Hijikata’s neck, inhaling deeply as well as letting out his own scent to wrap around them both. He presses a kiss to their bond mark on Hijikata.

“Ah, what a lucky alpha I am, being spoiled like this by Oogushi-kun~”

“Your nicknames are incredibly stupid.”

“As if you’re any better at coming up with such. You just call me bad words every time. What a dirty mouth you have, Vice-commander-san.”

“Ba— _Tch_.” Gintoki grins on Hijikata’s skin.

“By the way, Hijikata,”

Hijikata frowns.

“your browsing history.”

Hijikata freezes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the fact that snack ryuugujo is place where hijikata and kondo frequented, the fact that gintoki and otohime know each other. cmooonnn


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yukimi daifuku? Feeling special tonight, are we?” Gintoki waggled his eyebrows

When you’re pretty much well-known in the entire city of Edo, the chance of you walking down the street and being recognized is quite high. There’s always the possibility of accidentally meeting people that know you or vice versa. It’s like a troublesome game for your heart like, “Ah, was that xxx-san? No, that can’t be them.” but you’re pretty certain of their face because you’ve known them since forever so you go “That’s definitely xxx-san.”, in the end you don’t even greet them because it’s troublesome thinking of a conversation with someone you know let alone conversing in a public street. The chance of meeting people is high, but so does your level of irritation when you recognize faces on the street.

Anyway, Gintoki and Hijikata didn’t meet anyone that day. They went grocery shopping again and walked home eating ice creams.

“Yukimi daifuku? Feeling special tonight, are we?” Gintoki waggled his eyebrows when he saw what Hijikata was picking from the freezer. Gunmetal blue squinted at the hand grabbing the azuki bar, Gintoki’s hand that was.

Hijikata mimicked Gintoki’s eyebrows waggle.

“Azuki bar? You sure your teeth can handle that?”

“I’ll have you know I could bite off katana if I want to right now.”

“You wanna visit the dentist again hah, perm head?”

Gintoki glared, but Hijikata knew the plan inside his mate’s head. It’s a sly trick to lure him, how foolish of the silver haired dumbass to think Hijikata wouldn’t be able to read Gintoki’s mind. It comes to no surprise that Gintoki likes azuki beans, anything that’s flavored with it is certain to be the idiot’s favorite. However, this one ice cream bar is his Achilles’ heel. It’s not enjoyable, even if he can actually crunch through it, to eat ice cream that’s hard enough you can hammer a nail into a wooden plank with it. You can’t taste the flavor anymore, just coldness and teeth against teeth. Hijikata knew the guy would complain after finishing his bar and nagged him for his ice cream. Hijikata himself isn’t a particular fan for the twin mochi, he enjoys it every now and then but that’s it. He’ll choose something coffee or minty flavored over vanilla, to be honest.

So here lies both of their plans and Hijikata was certain of his victory.

“Enjoy your azuki bar, I’m not sharing mine.” He walked towards the cashier not batting even an eyelash at his grumbling mate still near the ice cream freezer.

When he paid for the yukimi daifuku, a chocomint bar was slid near his ice cream. He didn’t have to glance at the defeated guy next to him. Somewhere in the middle of their way home, Gintoki complained about the double coldness from the mint ice cream. Along with his complain, they exchanged their ice creams.

Gintoki tasted that minty flavor again when he kissed Hijikata in the living room.

* * *

“Hmm, the Yorozuya? Well, I think he’s a really great guy and a perfect match for Toshi. Of course, I’m the best Alpha here but he’s not a bad one himself. He has it in him the same burning passion and love like I have for my Otae. I’m sure their pup would be great, I can’t wait to become an uncle and spoil the kid rotten, ah!”

* * *

“… Hijikata. What are you doing?”

“Hhuh? Oh, you’re back. Welcome home. I haven’t made dinner yet, hold on—”

“No, no, no, no, forget dinner for a second. What are you doing with all of the pillows and our futons here in the living room? What is this? Did you fall asleep here? Are you making a ne—”

Gintoki pauses, Hijikata doesn’t move from his pile. They stops indefinitely with both their faces reddening. The implication is hung high up in the room.

“… T-the TV’s in.. the living room…” That explains it clear and only fuels Gintoki’s mind with more imagination.

He’s just returned home from work, an honest-to-god hard work, Gintoki can’t believe himself that he’s turning into this kind of Alpha. All his screams are internal.

“H-Hijikata…” Hell, the scent is palpable, probably permeating to the entire apartment. Hijikata just gives his mate a constipated look from the conflicting desires in him.

“Dinner—”

Gintoki dives into the pile, assaulting with both his weight and heavy scent.

“Oi, dumbass! Careful!!” The omega struggles, however slightly surprised that his mate actually looms rather than dropping dead on top of him, there’s a tiny gap between them as if the other is careful not to crush Hijikata underneath. Oh that fact goes straight to his di—

“I’ve read it, your browser history.” The Mayora slams his palm immediately on Gintoki’s face, his own face now a tomato.

“You read nothing!”

“It says it’s fine!”

“Nothing!”

“You’ve read the article too!”

Hijikata wrestles his way to straddle the man down, hand still pretty much on Gintoki’s face so that his mate can’t see how red Hijikata is right now. It’s fury, Hijikata screams at himself, it’s damn fury and not embarrassment, no, he _refuses_.

In his _fury_ , Hijikata unconsciously lets out his own scent. Gintoki mumbles “Oh God, even your smell, how can I _not_ fuck you right now—” into Hijikata’s palm.

“Shut up!!”

“You’re the one who searched for it!”

Hijikata squishes Gintoki’s face down into the pillows. The latter flails for air. Out of slight mercy, Hijikata lifts his hand a bit, but he maintains them on Gintoki’s eyes; still not letting him witness the embarrassment. His mate gasps for air.

“You know,” Gintoki takes another breath. “it’s been nearly two months, I’m tired of jerking myself off in the toilet, I want to come in yo—”

Hijikata slams his face on the pillow again.

Gintoki flails for air again.

This time, though, the alpha’s hands snake their way under the omega’s yukata, making comfortable stop on Hijikata’s ass before squeezing it.

Hijikata slams Gintoki’s face harder on the pillow.

Anyway, they had sex that night. Turns out it’s really okay to have sex during pregnancy if you’re careful about it. Kagura complains about the stench in the living room the next morning.

* * *

“Danna? He’s an excellent sadist, I actually look up to him. I’m happy to hand Hijikata over to him, he’ll make Hijikata’s life more miserable than I ever will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen, yukimi daifuku is so good hhh i wanna eat that again


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijikata looks at Gintoki. The man already slurping on his own noodles, but he shoots Hijikata a knowing glance. So Hijikata looks at Ikumatsu, well, tries, because the ramen chef already has her back turned away to do whatever it is she’s doing in the kitchen.

Ikumatsu saw him from the window of the shop before the man entered. He looked to be on his own and she was right when Gintoki walked in, lazy in his steps and look as usual, lacking any followers.

“Ramen again already?” Ikumatsu was on her way preparing the soup, but first she needed the amount of orders for the noodles. Gintoki was just here two days ago. It was becoming of a habit or some sort, a pattern which Ikumatsu had noticed was about two visits per week, at least. Sometimes he came with his kids and mate, sometimes it’s just with his kids, sometimes just his mate, and sometimes as well, just on his own. Whenever his mate isn’t along with him, however, he always ordered a takeaway.

Gintoki took a seat and huffed a half-laughter while rubbing the back of his permy hair. “Just one takeaway. Shio ramen.”

Ikumatsu blinked in surprise. “That’s unusual.”

So, only for his mate then. Ikumatsu began preparing for the order. The ramen shop is empty this time in the afternoon, it’s always like that. Gintoki seemed to know this as well since it’s the usual time he (and his pack) visited the place. She gave him a look. “Something troubling you?”

Gintoki sighed. She noted.

“It’s your mate, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, he’s at that phase. I wasn’t sure at first because that tsundere would never admit to something like this, obviously. But it’s clear that he’s craving for ramen all the time. We ran out of our instant ramen packs already, and that was the disaster emergency stash.” Gintoki scratched his hair. “It’s not healthy, he’s not a shounen protagonist with plot armor that can sustain himself with only instant ramen for over 26 seasons and continuing to the next generation. That’s why I tried bringing him ramen from your shop because that’s actually properly cooked with real ingredients. But this is getting ridiculous.” Gintoki sighed again.

Ikumatsu could understand, in a way. “Ramen is a perfectly balanced dish; it has all the sustenance needed for the body. There’s nothing wrong with eating ramen for every meal, Naruto did it all the time.”

“I just said that.”

“It’s better than not eating, you know. I’ve heard of omegas who lost appetite instead during their pregnancy. Their hormones are astray, it becomes hard to sustain the pregnancy and could lead to—”

“You wanna know something funny about the Mayora’s craving?” Ikumatsu blinked at Gintoki’s cut. Ah, not a good topic to bring then. “His real craving is cheese actually. He puts sliced cheese on his ramen and I _swear_ it’s the saddest sight anyone can witness to see a single cold sliced cheese on top of an instant ramen and seeing it struggle to melt.” Gintoki looked between laughing and something else when he stared on the bar table. “It’s so pathetic, I bet it tastes horrible. He has affinity for horrible food.”

Ikumatsu noted the insult lacking any malice.

“From the way you describe it, you’ve seen it a lot of times already.” Ikumatsu closed the lid of the container. She placed the takeaway in front of his only customer, watching Gintoki grabbed the bag and placed the money on the table.

“More than enough.” Gintoki waved her goodbye and left the shop. It didn’t escape Ikumatsu how his last words were fully laced with fondness.

* * *

“Ikumatsu-dono, is that a new menu I see?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Wanna try it?”

“No, thank you. I’ll just have the normal soba.”

“This is a ramen shop.”

* * *

That was four days ago. Gintoki counts, yeah, no mistaking it, that was four days ago. He realizes—well, all of them had realized, that the new member of their pack (No, no, they ever still on argument about _that_ ), the new _occasional? temporary?_ member of their pack has this sort of craving for the hot noodle dish that is to be expected of someone pregnant. Shinpachi had explained it Kagura and she figured it out it was just like her cravings for sukombu, she totally got it.

But, no, no, the thing about ramen is that it’s the kind of meal best when you haven’t had it in a long while. It hits the spot when you’re walking home after work, stumbling across the street with fatigue-ridden body so you enter the humble shop for its warm and inviting glowing light. The scent of delicious broth pulls you in and your mouth waters as you watch the noodles being prepared. It’s a reward kind of dish; unless you’re a shounen protagonist with blonde hair and blue eyes, with three whisker marks on both cheeks, then it becomes another thing entire, a running gag.

Gintoki walks next to Hijikata, he watches his mate makes his way because Gintoki definitely knows where this man is going. It’s written clear on his face, chewing on that fake cigarette. They start going out on short walks in the afternoon after a read through an article says that small exercise is good when you’re pregnant. Since Hijikata’s usual definition of exercise cannot be done right now due to his limiting condition (“No! I will not let it!” “What? Not even the sword—” “NO!”), they settle on walks. Gintoki had gotten excited over the prospect of mini-dates (as he so calls it), somehow Hijikata just grumbles ‘whatever, permhead’ and lets his mate thinks it as such. However, now, after starting this habit about half a month ago, Gintoki realizes this is just Hijikata’s way of obtaining his true intention all along. They always end up going to Ikumatsu’s after their walk. At one point Gintoki had just forgone keeping it subtle and went “Why walk around Kabuki-cho when you just wanna go here in the first place, oi?” to which Hijikata nonchalantly replied, a little terse “Worked up your appetite, didn’t it?”. Gintoki just clicked his tongue at that, knowing it wasn’t like Hijikata has any say in what he’s craving. Gintoki blames his depleting wallet content to this troublesome pup his mate is carrying.

So they walk and is greeted by Ikumatsu for the whatever times again. They take the same seating spot, HIjikata trusts his order with his mate and leaves for the washroom. Gintoki was just about to order when Ikumatsu points up at the new menu instead. The silver haired samurai’s eyes widen in surprise, which the ramen shop owner just replies with a small knowing smile. When Hijikata returns, he sees a hint of excitement in his mate. This he notices as he sees Gintoki watching Ikumatsu prepping their food, face propped in one hand.

“What is it?”

“Hmm?”

“You got a weird look on your face.” Hijikata takes out one of the fake cigarettes, breaking it in half and shoving the other half to Gintoki’s mouth. This is also another habit that the Vice-chief is developing, or some sort. He doesn’t like sweet, but he needs the familiar feeling of that weight in between his fingers and lips. So he compromise by having Gintoki helps him finish the stick. Or so the Vice-chief had told Gintoki.

“You’ll see.” That _weird_ look turns into a small grin. Hijikata knits his brows in low suspicion. Their conversation is broken when Ikumatsu serves them their ramen.

Now this time, it’s Hijikata’s turn to be surprised. It’s not his usual order, this the first thing that he notices. The soup is murkier but not in the color like tonkotsu or even miso broth. The scent, it’s very distinct, there’s no mistaking the additional ingredient to this ramen. Hijikata looks at Gintoki. The man already slurping on his own noodles, but he shoots Hijikata a knowing glance. So Hijikata looks at Ikumatsu, well, tries, because the ramen chef already has her back turned away to do whatever it is she’s doing in the kitchen.

Hijikata blows the steam a bit before digging in. It’s unlike the shitty stuff he’s been consuming at home, nothing like the sorry attempt of a dish he subjugates his mate to create at three in the morning. It’s cheese and actually tastes like it. This is on par with watching My Neighbor Pedoro, the feeling inside him that is.

Gintoki stops eating his food after his second or third slurp, actually. He had glanced again at Hijikata and the sight completely takes him in. Something blossoms in his chest and he couldn’t help but notice that small whiff of Hijikata’s scent in the air around them, untainted even by the strong ramen broth. That itself makes him lets out his own scent out of reflex.

“Oi, oi, can you guys tone it down a bit, this is a public restaurant, Gin-san.”

“Oops.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm really craving for some ramen right now eughhhh


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The change had been gradual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now this is where the angst tag comes into play

Gintoki is still pretty much awake. Red eyes staring at the ceiling, he’s finally able to pry his sight away from the one sleeping undeniably close to him. Hijikata’s hand is over Gintoki’s chest, a dead weight that’s clinging too much. In truth, it kind of hurts a bit; the pressing. But it’s an anchoring kind of pain, the one that keeps you grounded to the moment. The one that makes you feel alive despite everything.

It’s his fault.

Yeah.

But can’t be help, can it?

* * *

Four months passed just like a blink of an eye. One moment you’re quarreling over dinner, the next you’re over each other hugging the announcement, suddenly both of you find yourselves expecting the impossible, the future seems a lot brighter. Four months and Gintoki felt more alive with each day passing. If you asked him a year ago, he would’ve snorted. Yeah, _right_. That kind of life. But if there’s anything that Gintoki has learned and taken into heart deeply is that to keep on living. And it was all worth the pain and struggle, to reach this point in life. As he dragged Hijikata to another movie date because why the hell not, he felt undoubtedly loved.

They went in not really expecting much. It was actually Kagura and Shinpachi that suggested him, they had gone to see the movie by themselves because _eh_ , plot device. No, they went because they were bored in the first place during one afternoon where the Alpha-Omega combi had ‘kicked’ them out for the day. Kagura said that the movie poster was the one that caught her eyes, so she dragged Shinpachi to watch. They went back to the Yorozuya household with red face, puffy eyes, still sniffling their snots. Gintoki didn’t know what happen exactly but next thing he knew, both of his kids just told him to take the Mayora with him and watch that damn movie.

So he did. He went with Hijikata. It was an animated movie, Wolf children or something. The title caught his interest, he could see the little hint of why the brats were pushing him to watch it. Gintoki wasn’t expecting the emotional assault, though. They both cried just like the kids did. Pretty sure majority of the people in the theater was also crying with them. Gintoki had to admit, the feeling that washed over him after watching that movie, was something like seeing the sky lights up after the rain, or the morning after being snowed in the night before. Hmm. On second thought, that was just him recalling bits of the movie scene.

But it had affected Hijikata, evidently. At that time, when they exited the theater, Gintoki hadn’t notice it. Sure the man was a bit more quiet than usual, but the Vice-chief is known to talk a lot _when_ he’s angry, not when he’s calm. And he was sure that Hijikata wasn’t pissed that time.

“A sibling would be nice for the kid, isn’t it? That way they both have someone to play with all the time.” Gintoki casted him a glance, Hijikata seemed to have taken the bait. It erased the previous stillness off him.

“Oi, this one isn’t even out yet, give me a break.”

Gintoki could’ve caught that tiniest change.

He found Hijikata to be more absentminded than usual after that. The man would sit on Gintoki’s chair and just have his candy cigarette in between his fingers twirled around, not once will it touch his mouth. Then he’ll toss it in the trash can. One or two activity will pass after that, then he’ll be having that candy in his hand again. Gintoki figured, this is somewhere close to the Vice-commander’s old habit of chain-smoking, probably.

Gintoki hadn’t noticed it when he was there in the moment. However, looking back now, the signs became more apparent, as if they were all bolded, underlined, highlighted with neon yellow—Gintoki felt incredibly stupid for not seeing it.

Hijikata didn’t say anything when the Yorozuya went off to do random jobs. He saw the trio off in the entry way, mumbling “Itterasshai.” half-heartedly. But that’s the thing. That’s exactly the problem. He always had something to quip before, a light jab over Gintoki finally getting his lazy ass out of the house to work. Even occasionally a reminder to buy something on the way home later. Anything, in general. Gintoki didn’t pay attention to that. Looking back now, he realized Hijikata seemed to be holding down the words he was going to say, every time he saw him off in the entryway.

That left him a taste. Something like wondering what his mate was up to all day long, when nobody else was home. Probably lonely.

It wasn’t like Gintoki could just laze around the house, even if he really would rather do that than capturing another one of that stupid alien prince’s priced pet. More than ever he needed to earn money to fill in what Hijikata had been draining him what with the constant trip to Ikumatsu’s. It wasn’t like he was below using Hijikata’s own savings, hell, if anything Gintoki’s the one who’s constantly draining another’s bank account. But this moment in both of their life, it changed Gintoki as well. It had reduced him to base instinct four months ago. It was no surprise that suddenly, Gintoki felt the need to maintain his pride. This urge to provide, care—nonsensical.

However, every time he caught sight or even scent of his mate during particular moments, that drive seemed to go full throttle. Gintoki realized the parallel, now.

The change had been gradual.

Gintoki noticed it first by scent. It was after one job where the three of them went home with a little bit more scratch than usual because curse that evil cat. They got home a bit later than usual, must had been like half an hour late or something. Hijikata’s eyes were filled with a flash of concern when he opened the door, way before Shinpachi opened it. That caught everyone by surprise, but no one other than the pair of adults lingered on that change. The kids cleaned themselves of the dirt from chasing after another stupid cat. They wouldn’t have noticed it, they weren’t the one with thorough knowledge of Hijikata Toushirou, after all.

The man didn’t say anything, they all went as normal as every day. Gintoki did notice that ghost of a scent, though. Something sharp, almost tart; it lingered particularly strong around the area of his desk. In hindsight, he shouldn’t have waved it away, both figuratively and literally. If he hadn’t done that, hadn’t let his own stronger scent to mark his territory yet again, he could’ve known sooner.

It was always the scent. That was the only change that was distinct, despite how subtle it was in the stale air inside the apartment. A couple days passed that cat job request, they got another job that was a bit riskier than usual. It resulted in a small scuffle that required Gintoki to actually unsheathed his bokuto from his belt. There wasn’t any noticeable injury that worth tending, but he did come home a little dirtier than usual from the rubbles he got piled into before. There was another look of concern in Hijikata’s eyes, this time a fraction of a second longer than before. Nothing, and yet still was caught by Gintoki. That sharp scent was slightly bitter, and it lingered around the kitchen this time.

It went on, dragged between the two of them with neither ever pointing it out. When Gintoki came home a little bit rougher than usual, Hijikata welcomed him a little bit tenser. When Gintoki came home late, Hijikata welcomed him with a ghost of deep furrow on his face. His mate still smelled just as sweet to him, but the gradual edge of it didn’t go unnoticed by him. Gintoki didn’t question it until it was too late.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It shouldn’t have come to this. It shouldn’t, really.

“Gin-san.”

It shouldn’t have come to this. It shouldn’t, really.

Gintoki looked over the sofa, at Shinpachi. The kids were talking in the kitchen before, something Gintoki couldn’t overhear and it really didn’t interest him whatsoever to be honest. Then Kagura dragged his Earth-mami out for some treats at the convenience store. Kagura practically begged, so Hijikata let himself be dragged out, leaving the two other Yorozuya in the living room. Now that Gintoki noticed it, the kids really are perceptive, aren’t they?

“Gin-san.” Shinpachi tried again after not getting anything from Gintoki. There was a real seriousness to the boy’s look.

“What?”

“Why aren’t you saying anything to Hijikata-san?” Gintoki could only stare.

“Kagura-chan and I notice, you know.” This was just low. Gintoki felt like scum instantly. So, it had been that long, huh? Long enough that the kids already noticing it, addressing it before Gintoki could even muster a “Hey,” at his mate. That’s right. Hijikata is his mate, this was a problem between a mated alpha and omega. This problem had dragged long enough that people around them began picking it up already. That’s awfully embarrassing, honestly.

“Why aren’t you two talking? Why are you guys being quiet about it? It could affect Hijikata-san’s pregnancy, Gin-san. Haven’t you two consulted with the doctor?” Shinpachi might had brought Gintoki back to the surface, but his words were like truck after truck driving right over him, smothering him against the road. Gintoki could only cradled his head in frustration, arms propped on the table, he’d bang his head against it if Shinpachi weren’t here.

“Kagura-chan told me of Hijikata-san’s change. She said he smells different. I told her that might’ve been from the lack of tobacco since Hijikata-san is no longer smoking. But she insisted that it’s different. So I tried as well and I noticed it. Gin-san, you knew too, don’t you? Hijikata-san looks like he’s not resting well, why aren’t you taking care of him?! What is happening, Gin-san?!”

“What, you think I’m not thinking about it as well, hah?! You think I’m not frustrated as well?! He’s _my_ mate, do you think I’m not worried sick about him right now?!” Shinpachi looked taken back when Gintoki faced him again. The alpha looked wild.

“It’s not like I didn’t try—I tried, _dammit_. He’d always brush it off, avoiding it whenever I brought it up. He’s such a damn difficult asshole, doesn’t he realize that he’s risking _my_ pup as well with his damn moodiness?!” Fuck. It wasn’t like Gintoki hadn’t tried on his end. But Hijikata asked him to drop the topic. If there’s anything that Gintoki knew best from all the time he spent courting the difficult Demonic Vice-commander, was that it’s best not to prod too much when the man is still struggling to figure out his own self. It took them a long arduous fight until Hijikata came to term with his feelings with Gintoki and allowed himself the love from the other. Gintoki didn’t want that kind of argument again, especially not during this time. But, _fuck_ , if this was affecting him enough to the point of deteriorating his health—Gintoki really didn’t know which to choose, which was worse.

“Gin-san, could it be… From when Kagura-chan and I told you two to—” Shinpachi got cut off when the front door slid open and Kagura announced their return. The conversation remained lost after that.

* * *

Three days. Took him three days to muster the courage to confront the problem between them. It’d been three days since China took him out to the convenience store under the pretense of buying small groceries. It was a lie, the brat got him to buy ice creams and sukombu packs. Hijikata let himself be tricked because those ice creams turned out wasn’t for her alone, she had shared it with the entire house.

What really concerned him, and became one of the catalyst to his internal struggle, was the conversation following that small trip.

“Toshi, are you okay?” that had caught him out of the blue. Hijikata blinked, but that concerned look on Kagura’s face didn’t change into a teasing grin or anything. It remained, til the end of their walk, a concerned look.

“What are you talking about, I’m fine of course.” Kagura didn’t believe him. Hijikata didn’t believe she’ll buy that lie in the first place.

“You know, I’m not a kid who doesn’t know when adults around her is hiding something, I’ve been with Gin-chan long enough to know that Gin-chan also has things that he doesn’t want me or Pattsuan see. We’re fine with it, as long as he comes back to us, we don’t care where he goes, we’ll always be here to greet him home. Gin-chan doesn’t want us to know, but we all live together here, of course we’ll know.” Hijikata never doubted of their kids’ instinct. Despite everything, they both did learn from the best.

Ah, _their_ kids.

Huh.

“So, Toshi, if you don’t want us to know about it, then it’s fine. But Shinpachi told me that it’s not healthy for you and the baby. We all wanna see the baby too, you know.”

Hijikata isn’t one to forget, but he’s the type to dismiss until eventually it gets buried with the others and becomes a troublesome task to dig it up, and that’s not even counting the instances where he himself doesn’t want to dig it up again. This sense of belonging, this bond—can he call this family now? Hijikata had been denying it for the longest time, he was—is still, loyal to Kondo-san and the Shinsengumi, after all. But if there’s anything that he’s learned about the Yorozuya is that family doesn’t just come in one. There are bonds everywhere, you’re bound to be surrounded by people, so what’s wrong with making more friends or even families? This family, this small pack, it had been special to him from the very first time. It was just that Hijikata never truly let himself indulge in believing it. He felt guilty now, when the others clearly considered him special. Guilty for not being sincere.

“You’ll talk with Gin-chan, right?”

“Yeah.”

Three days. Felt like three minutes. Like instant ramen.

Gintoki and Hijikata still skittered around that topic, so much so that days had passed. Then again it was just like the Vice-commander to overthink something too much. He kept thinking the best way to bring up the topic. A way which won’t get him ridiculed because the source of his worry had come from a stupid movie, a way to convince Gintoki that this worry wasn’t fake—he truly had been fighting against his own mind whenever the alpha was out of the house. A way to compromise, because both knew of their inevitabilities, their uncertainties.

Hijikata was on his way back upstairs from paying the rent to Otose. They conversed for quite a while, despite Hijikata’s first intention to just drop the money and return to silently stare outside the window in Gintoki’s chair. As one of the person who knew Gintoki the longest, it was in Hijikata’s interest to prod about the man from the old lady. Otose spilled of the perm head easily, maybe she considered him a family as well now. They talked, at some point threading over the recent topic. Nothing escaped the old lady. Otose gave him more encouragement to face his mate. Hijikata had decided to finally break this invincible boundary and talk with Gintoki. Tonight.

Nothing ever goes to plan, it seemed. When he finally stepped on the second-story porch, he really wasn’t expecting anyone to be standing on the front door. The Yorozuya were out for work, they wouldn’t be back until around afternoon. Hijikata had been relieved from Shinsengumi duties for 9 months. There really wasn’t any reason for Sougo to be standing there. Especially with clothes and faces covered in debris. It was rare to see a grim expression from the 1st division captain. Hijikata didn’t like how this was going.

“Hijikata-san.”

Hijikata’s eyes went wide, then he frowned, deep and hard. He didn’t want to predict. Didn’t want to think.

“I tried calling you, but you weren’t answering.” Ah, dammit, he left it in the house. “I need to bring you to the hospital.”

Something sunk inside him. Dread, probably. His neck tingled, on that spot where Gintoki marked him.

“Danna..”

It was a complete blur after that. They both rushed to the hospital with Sougo driving as fast as he could. Hijikata couldn’t care less of the traffic rules that they had just broken. He stopped himself from going insane in that car ride by gripping around the bond mark in vice grip, the other hand fisted on his lap with knuckles already white. It was the additional weight that stopped Hijikata from practically running to the room with Sakata Gintoki written on the doorplate. He couldn’t run as fast as he had wanted; _them_ , both he and their pup.

When Hijikata arrived at the front door, several people were there. He saw Kondo-san, but then his attention was completely taken away when Kagura and Shinpachi both went down in front of him, on their knees, on the floor, foreheads deep in bows with both their arms reaching, tugging at Hijikata’s leg. It wasn’t just the gesture, the wails that the two let out—It took every bits of him to stop himself from hyperventilating as well. Hijikata didn’t know what to do, to think; he tried focusing on the ones that were right in front of him _now_ , one thing at a time. He crouched down, pulling them and holding them close.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t protect him—”

“Gin-chan, G-Gin-chan—I’m sorry, Toshi—”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have i given you guys enough fluff to warrant me pulling this card?


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijikata finds his hands to be trembling on his lap. “You mean..”

He feels a tap on his shoulder. Years of being a light sleeper and not to mention the current circumstances that aren’t exactly comfortable, Hijikata wakes up instantly. He blinks and frowns his way through the grogginess, cricking his neck from how he’s slept for the past hour or so. Oh, he fell asleep, right.

“Toshi,” Hijikata wakes up more with the voice of his Commander gently calling him back to reality. From the weight and warmth that he can still feel upon his shoulder, it’s safe to say Kondo is right by his side, isn’t he?

“Kondo-san..” His throat is hoarse. He’s fallen asleep with arms and head on Gintoki’s hospital bed, again. Hijikata finds himself clutching the white bedsheet for an anchor this past 24 hours, when there aren’t any other eyes in the room, Gintoki’s motionless hand is his anchor.

“You should take the kids for lunch.” Kondo motions for Shinpachi and Kagura who are leaning against each other on the sofa, asleep as well. The three of them hadn’t left Gintoki’s side since the previous day. They took turn waiting for their Yorozuya Boss, afraid that if they look away just for a moment, the silver haired samurai would slip, either for good or bad. They don’t talk much, each of their own exhausted to the bone.

Kondo seems to notice this uneasiness that the three shares with what he says next. “I’ll watch while you’re gone. Go get lunch.”

Hijikata looks at Kondo, at Gintoki, at Kagura and Shinpachi, then at Kondo one last time. His mouth opens for something, like a thank you _at the very least_ , but he finds himself clamming up. His head is a mess, no doubt that he probably looks and smell a mess as well. Kondo, bless him, _truly bless him_ , understands Toshi more than well. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you know immediately if anything happens.”

Hijikata nods mutely before standing up from the plastic chair and approaches the Yorozuya kids. He shakes them gently. They stir and Hijikata lets them gather their senses on their own time, watching Kagura scrunching her face and Shinpachi rubbing the fatigue behind his glasses.

“Toshi…?”

“Is Gin-san…”

Hijikata pats their shoulders. “Let’s go eat.”

“But Gin-chan—!!” Kagura is stopped in her short panic when Hijikata points at Kondo sitting on his previous seat, waving at them.

“Leave it to me, Yorozuya.” The two kids look at Hijikata, seeking approval. It’s really something when the two Yorozuya left is looking at Hijikata, of all people, for guidance when their pack leader is out of commission. Hijikata feels his chest tightening.

“Kondo-san will let us know, _don’t worry_.” Hijikata forces a smile despite the hypocrisy in his words. Kagura stares at the deep-in-coma samurai while Shinpachi stares at Hijikata, unsure yet trusting.

The three of them head towards the door, sparing one last look at the Yorozuya boss and Shinsengumi Commander before going to the hospital cafeteria. Shinpachi bends his back for a bow. “Please take care of him, Kondo-san.”

Kondo smiles, waving them goodbye. He spares one last reassuring look for Hijikata, a nod and a promise. Hijikata wonders if it’s something the two alphas had exchanged before, something along the line of ‘picking up where the other left’.

* * *

“Ah, Hijikata-san, welcome back.” Hijikata walks in after the nurse, he takes his usual seat in front of the doctor.

“Sakata-san isn’t with you today?” The nurse hands the doctor Hijikata’s document and she takes a look, scribbling something over another empty column.

“No.” Hijikata shakes his head slightly. The doctor gives him a look and writes down something else. The omega watches with a blank stare.

“Alright, shall we start, then.”

_“There, Shinpachi.” Kagura pointed at an empty table with four seats at the corner of the cafeteria. She carried her tray with Shinpachi following behind her. Hijikata was still at the cashier paying for their meal. The two of them waited for Hijikata. When the cop arrived with his own tray, they all sat in motionless silent for a moment._

_That one empty seat stood out so much for them._

_Hijikata snapped his chopsticks, simultaneously breaking the tension. “Let’s dig in.”_

_The three of them ate in relative silent, a somber mood in contrast to their usual ruckus, especially if the alpha of the pack was there._

The nurse already took his blood sample and tension earlier. She’s now handing the result to the doctor and Hijikata watches her face contorts. He has low expectation on his result, to be honest. He wouldn’t lie that his condition these past couple weeks aren’t exactly the best. His progression throughout the first trimester had been good, the doctor said so. Him and Gintoki were delighted, to say the least.

What a trainwreck it is now.

At least that’s what Hijikata keep thinking. It’s hard to fish out his train of thoughts from that muddied pond lately, harder now with Gintoki’s sudden condition.

“Hmm, this is quite a drastic change, Hijikata-san.” The omega inhales sharply.

“Is.. something wrong.., sensei?”

“Your hormone levels are fluctuating quite sharply. This is completely different from last time.” Hijikata can only blink his eyes, trying to digest her words. “This could affect the baby’s further development if it continues. You’re entering your second trimester as well, so this is quite serious actually, Hijikata-san.”

Hijikata can’t really focus on her, his palms feel cold, the aircon doesn’t help either. But he frowns, he doesn’t know much—hell, he’s only read a few articles thus far, but; even though he knows hormone plays an important role in this whole thing, it shouldn’t be as _dramatic_ as that, right? The most important thing is still his and the baby’s physical health, right?

“H-how serious is it?” He doesn’t like that concerned look on the doctor’s face, shouldn’t doctor not show that much emotion?

“Hijikata-san, omega pregnancy is not uncommon, but male omega pregnancy is actually quite rare. The chance for conceiving is much much lower for male omega since their body isn’t naturally prepared for pregnancy in the first place. It requires more care in the development and quite fragile. The alpha plays a critical role in this situation, they would provide the hormones to balance out the omega. It is important for male omega to keep their hormone balance during pregnancy to sustain the baby development.”

Hijikata feels like passing out. His thoughts are spiraling, and he desperately wishes Gintoki was here.

“Why isn’t your mate with you today, Hijikata-san?” Oh, where should he begin.

_“Shinpachi,” The glasses boy looked up from his food at Hijikata. “what you said yesterday, about Gintoki, what did you mean by that?” Kagura watched the two of them._

Hijikata explains the situation with the doctor, he glosses over his own worry at the beginning but the doctor gently pries open his walls. “It’s normal to feel like that, you shouldn’t be hiding those kind of thoughts from your mate.”

I was going to, wasn’t I? Hijikata wants to snap at her but he finds it in him to bite the anger down. He directed that energy to explain it further, telling her the current situation as well where his mate is right now comatose on the other side of this very building. Hijikata watches her face changes into a sympathetic look, she grasps the full picture now, it seems.

“I’m really sorry to hear that, I hope Sakata-san will wake up soon.” Hijikata nods, taking her condolences. “I’m sorry, but I just find it strange that you two aren’t communicating in a way that soul bond would.”

What.

“Soul bond?” The mark on Hijikata’s neck tingles, as if responding to the word itself. The doctor gives him a raise of an eyebrow, a perplexed look.

“You didn’t know?” Hijikata shakes his head stiffly. What is this feeling that suddenly makes itself residence in his chest. They’ve known each other for quite a long time, granted that they’ve never checked for _that_ in particular, but surely both of them could’ve noticed it?

“Hmm, yes, I was under the impression that both of you are private about it, so I didn’t bring it up. However it seems that neither of you know actually the nature of your bond is a soul one.” What. What the hell.

Soul bond are rare. Rarer than male omega being pregnant. Rare enough that majority of the population calls it a miracle. To be mated to your soul mate is a whole other experience, to have someone connected with you on such a deeper level. It’s everybody’s dream to find their soul mate, but the chance of even having one, let alone encountering one, is so low that the entire thing turns more into a myth than fact.

Sakata Gintoki is his soul mate.

He’s bonded with his soul mate.

“I found it from both of your health records, here.” The doctor slides Hijikata’s document on the table and points at a section. Written clear as daylight on the ‘Bond’ section is ‘Soul bonded’. His mark gives another tingle.

“How do you know.. if it is a normal bond or a s-soul bond?” As far as Hijikata knows, through talks and stories, that rare occurrence isn’t something that’s visible to the eye. It’s something that’s shared only with the pair. If Gintoki and him are in fact, soul bond, then shouldn’t they know that already? Especially during their marking?

“It is not much known to the public but in the science department, we found that there’s another hormone in soul bond mates. If one possesses a soul mate, the body secretes another chemical that is special. You could say it’s like a puzzle piece, the two would have a specific type of hormone that reacts only to each other. As far as the study goes, we’ve yet to know how the hormone works actually. There are speculations that it relates to connecting the brain wavelength, but we can’t say for sure.”

Hijikata tries his best to understand it. “How come we—T-this is new information to us, we— _I_ don’t think I know about this.” Does Gintoki…

“There are records of some cases where despite the presence of the special hormone, neither of the mated pair experience the metaphysical aspect of the soul bond. We’ve yet to know about this but there are studies that suggest trauma plays a role in blocking the bonding to occur.” Hijikata swallows. “Although the act of bonding or mating is physical, a good portion of the act occurs in the brain. You could say, it changes the person once they’re mated. Something that is repressed within one’s consciousness like trauma, could possibly affect the act of bonding.”

Trauma.

Right. Right, that makes sense. Hijikata doesn’t know why that makes sense, but it _does_.

“Hijikata-san, this is just a doctor’s intuition, but given the description you’ve said earlier and Sakata-san’s hospital record as Apex Alpha, it makes me wonder if the reason your mate is still in coma is not just from injury, but rather something else.” Hijikata frowns hard, the doctor has this distant look in her eyes and Hijikata doesn’t know how to interpret that.

“What do you mean, sensei?”

“What if it is his decision to stay under?”

_Shinpachi didn’t answer right away. Hijikata waited patiently and anxiously for the boy’s words, because what he told him yesterday gnawed his mind ever since. Yesterday he didn’t have the brain and emotion capacity to process things coherently. It was a complete mess when he found Gintoki on that hospital bed, deep in coma, covered in bandages and oxygen mask. The heartrate monitor was his first anchor to ground him in reality, that his mate is still very much alive. Just asleep, deep deep in slumber._

_“Gin-san.. that day, he didn’t look like himself. It felt like his mind was somewhere else entirely. I noticed that it changed after we left the house, after we bid for work, Hijikata-san.” Gintoki._

_“When we were ambushed by the Amanto, we were handling it just fine. But things had been strange with Gin-san, his swings and attacks weren’t as coordinated as usual. It shouldn’t be a problem, but when Gin-san collapsed in the middle of the fight, his eyes—it was as if he’s closing it from his own will, rather than exhaustion.”_

Hijikata finds his hands to be trembling on his lap. “You mean..”

“That it was his decision to be in coma? Perhaps.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im spewing bullshit about the medical term and such lmao just using my high school knowledge


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That kind of alpha, indeed.
> 
> Stubborn. Impulsive. Lazy. Caring. Reliable. Endearing.
> 
> Hijikata wishes to see that face again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if i have to give an ost theme for this chapter, it's this one  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI52pW3lA84
> 
> also i finally decide that this fic is somewhere before the shogun assassination arc

“Thank you, sensei.” Hijikata bows as he bids the doctor farewell. She bows as well and her sympathetic smile never leaves.

“I’ll see you next week then, Hijikata-san.” He nods, then begins his walk towards the other wing of this hospital.

He’s entering his second trimester, today’s checkup was supposed to be a big reveal, him and Gintoki was really looking forward to the ultrasound result. They were going to find out about whether it’s a boy or a girl. The alpha had brought the conversation couple of times, Gintoki told him that whether the baby has balls or not, he doesn’t give a crap, as long as it can carry the samurai’s soul, that’s enough. Hijikata bonked his mate’s head for the crass way he’s referring to their child, but he agrees with Gintoki. Boy or girl, doesn’t matter. He’ll—They’ll love them with everything that they have.

They had agreed to continue their conversation once they know of the baby’s sex, then they can start brainstorming for the name. Gintoki was the one that made the suggestion, Hijikata has nothing to object to that. It’s like saving snacks for later to eat, instead of wolfing down everything in one go. That way, you have something to look forward to, something that makes _tomorrow_ a reason to live.

Hijikata was looking forward to that conversation. Will they argue? They always argue, bickering is their language. Even if there’s no heat or malice behind their tones, it’s just natural to throw jabs at each other. Maybe one day they’ll outgrow this lousy form of talking between them, who knows. Hijikata imagines the sugar freak alpha would suggest something predictable, like popular name. Then Hijikata himself would argue of how half-ass that is, Gintoki would offer another one that’s probably not any better than his initial suggestion. Their bickering will continue. But in the end, when both of their energies finally spent, when it’s quieter than before, Gintoki would say something meaningful, something that just clicks for Hijikata. That would be their child’s name.

Such is his alpha.

That’s why, Hijikata declined when the doctor was about to start the ultrasound. Hijikata asked for another time, when his mate is next to him again, when Gintoki can find out along with him. He doesn’t want to be the only one knowing. He’ll know too much, then there wouldn’t be tomorrow to look forward to. It feels wrong. Hijikata doesn’t want to leave Gintoki behind. He wants to see the man’s excitement, wants to be excited with him as well. Hijikata wants to see that face again, that one when they did their first ultrasound session, when they were finally able to see the baby for the very first time. Both confronted with the reality of how _real_ this is, that picture—Hijikata remembers it. They were both held captivated by the static screen. They were quiet until he heard the camera noise from his phone. Gintoki had asked for his phone earlier, he said something about keeping it safe during the checkup and Hijikata didn’t prod more, trusted his mate with the device like every single time. Gintoki didn’t have to make a reason, to be honest, Hijikata would let him have it anyway. But hearing that noise had dragged Hijikata back to the hospital bed, his eyes landed immediately on his mate who was caught red-handed capturing the image with Hijikata’s phone. It was the doctor that broke into laughter first, saying “You didn’t have to do that, we’ll give you a better resolution picture, you know.”. Gintoki has that picture kept in some place he doesn’t know, though whenever Hijikata asks to see the picture, the picture seems to always be with the alpha. Ready to be shown at any moment.

That kind of alpha, indeed.

Stubborn. Impulsive. Lazy. Caring. Reliable. Endearing.

Hijikata wishes to see that face again.

* * *

“I’m back.”

“Hijikata-san.” Shinpachi looks away from the small flat TV screen at the corner of the room. Kagura also looks away from the same screen. Even Kondo-san…

Huh.

Kondo-san is still here?

Hijikata approaches the trio who has dragged the TV at the end of Gintoki’s bed, they sort of make a camp around the silver samurai with plastic chairs and sofa repositioned surrounding it. They way they arrange it, is as if the four of them watching it together, rather than just three. That brings a small smile on Hijikata’s face.

“How’s the check up?” Kondo meets his eyes. Hijikata had told the kids to return to Gintoki’s room after they finished their lunch, saying that he has to do his check up on the other side of the building. So the two Yorozuya returned without Hijikata, they must have explained it to Kondo.

“Good.” Like hell he can tell Kondo-san.

Kondo looks at him a bit longer, reading him, then he returns his attention to the TV show. Hijikata wants to just blurt the truth, but he can’t. He apologizes mentally for lying to his Commander, he has to tell Gintoki _first_.

“You two should go home. Stay at Shinpachi’s, Kagura.” Hijikata rests his hand on top of Kagura’s head. It’s a gesture that only the two shares. Kagura has her brows knitted at him, she doesn’t say anything, but her face speaks volume.

“What about Hijikata-san?”

“I’ll be here. Someone’s gotta keep the perm head company, yeah?”

“But Hijikata-san! You’re—”

“I need to talk to him.” Shinpachi doesn’t argue anymore when Hijikata utters that. The room is heavy and silent.

“Right, kids, let’s get you back at Otae-san’s.” Kondo stands up from his seat, announcing it loud and clear for the two kids to snap their heads at the Commander, Hijikata as well. “I’ll drive you guys home.”

Hijikata watches the big smiles on Kondo and he remembers the face of their dojo leader, the Shinsengumi Commander. Compassionate.

Shinpachi and Kagura doesn’t ask for Hijikata’s permission. Their uncertainties aren’t directed at him, but rather at Kondo instead. Hijikata blinks, confused. Then Kondo directs that smile and reassurance at the two Yorozuya.

“Don’t worry, I’ll return here with food for Toshi.” Kondo glances at Hijikata, so does Shinpachi and Kagura, after they smile at Kondo. Hijikata blinks again, this time finding something easing inside him. They’re… worried for him.

The three leaves Hijikata after that. Kondo promises to return with food after dropping the kids at the Shimura’s (“Any particular diet?” “Anything’s fine, Kondo-san. Thanks.” Hijikata doesn’t have the heart to ask for ramen). Shinpachi and Kagura bids Hijikata farewell for the evening, they promise to return early in the morning. After that they can change shift, Hijikata can return home to rest properly. It’s non-negotiable, Kagura and Shinpachi had made that clear.

Now leaving Hijikata alone with the sleeping patient. Hijikata takes the seat on the sofa Kagura had dragged near the hospital bed, silently thanking the girl since that plastic chair really killing his ass. He watches the subtle yet steady rise-and-fall of Gintoki’s chest, the way the oxygen mask would fog in a pattern, signs that his mate is still very much alive. Just sleeping. Deep in a coma.

Chooses to be in a coma.

Hijikata takes Gintoki’s hand, one that isn’t connected to the IV and doesn’t remind him of the current state of his mate, one that still shows sign of strength despite motionless. He stares at Gintoki’s right palm, tracing the scar. He knew of Gintoki’s injuries, saw the man’s state in this very hospital after what happened in the Shogun’s castle. Hijikata never pries into Gintoki’s scars, just as Gintoki never pries into his. It leaves the both of them to fill their own gaps, figuring it out by themselves. Hijikata doesn’t dwell on that topic much, he’s given one prominent scar on Gintoki’s shoulder after all, and that makes him want to stop thinking about the man’s history altogether. So he did, he buries that side of Gintoki with the brilliance that is present Gintoki. So bright is that silver light, a persistent light that does not vanguish no matter how hard the wind blows.

Too bright

It blinds him. Almost as if the act alone is to compensate for something else, hiding. Hijikata knows of the saying, seems everyone as well. Something that shines so bright, the shadow must be inevitably dark, encompassing. For some reason Gintoki doesn’t seem to have a shadow. He’s not the one being casted by that light, but the very source itself. He doesn’t have shadow—does he?

Holding Gintoki’s hand, tracing the lines with his own fingers, Hijikata finally addresses the scar between them.

_“W-what should I do, sensei…”_

_“Have you tried reaching for him?”_

_“Reaching?”_

_“Soul bond is special, the connection is said to transcend medical term. Even though you said that both of you don’t know about the nature of your bond, I believe that doesn’t mean that special connection isn’t there.” She smiled. “Believe in your bond, Hijikata-san.”_

Hijikata swallows the bile in his throat.

“Gintoki…”

How do you do this, how do you even communicate with such bond..

He slots his fingers in between Gintoki’s, clasping their hands together. Hijikata doesn’t know what to do so he tries with starting from the beginning. Sorting out the problem by laying it all down. Maybe along the way he’ll know, he’ll figure it out. He hopes his words reach his mate.

“I don’t know if you already know.. –or notice. But judging from what Shinpachi said, you knew, didn’t you.” Hijikata closes his eyes, in the process releasing a tear to drop on the sheet. He’ll cry, he won’t hold it, he’ll just let everything out now. “It’s stupid, I know, you must think it ridiculous; but I really was—am _worried_.”

“I never really thought about it, even though we both know how our lives will always be at the edge of our swords. We both know and agreed. I just—I guess when I found that I’m carrying, and you found out as well, we were so captured by the moment that we forgot—that I forgot about our lives.” His eyes won’t stop pouring, but Hijikata continues, he fixes his teary gaze at Gintoki’s peaceful face.

“What if you died one day, what if I have to raise the child alone, what if you died and I couldn’t see you again—” Hijikata bites his lips to stop himself choking from the sobs. “I couldn’t protect you like this, I would just risk you and the pup. I couldn’t watch your back like this. I’m left at home wondering if you’ll come home or not; what if today is the last that I’ll see you, what if you’re gone and I couldn’t protect you.”

Hijikata cries into Gintoki’s hand.

“That’s why, when you came home late, when you’re home with injuries; I’m _really_ worried.” Hijikata is not unfamiliar with this path he’s treading. It’s the same path that lead him to his fate with Mitsuba, the path that ultimately made him into a destructive being. It took a lot for Gintoki to undo it, breaking Hijikata’s wall one brick at a time. Hijikata had promised Gintoki, when the man allowed himself the love from the silver samurai, he promised Gintoki he wouldn’t distance himself again. That he doesn’t have to choose one over another, that he can protect both. Gintoki wouldn’t break, so Hijikata doesn’t have to torn himself between the Shinsengumi and him.

 _God_ —Hijikata truly believed that. He really do. That’s why he promised, he accepted it because he believed this time he could protect both. But right here, watching his nightmare becomes reality, Hijikata felt like their promise is breaking apart. A tiny bit of upset, a part of him that will always latch on anger and blame; it’s not just him that’s breaking their promise.

“Gin…” With a choked voice like that, Hijikata doesn’t have the confidence that it’ll wake his alpha. That kind of voice never worked after all. “We’re soulmates, did you know that?”

Hijikata forces himself to smile. Latch on the positivity, keep hold of it, believe in your bond. “No wonder we seem to be able to read each other so easily… You seem to always know what’s in my mind, and I can always tell what’s in that permy curl of yours…” _Please smile_. “But I can’t always read you, bastard..”

“I don’t know about your nightmares—‘ _s not fair_..” Gintoki knew of his story, of Tamegorou. He knows of Hijikata’s demons. Gintoki never asks about it, never pries whenever he comforts Hijikata from his nightmares that resurfaces along with the guards he lets down because Hijikata trusts Gintoki with that promise. In return Hijikata doesn’t question of Gintoki’s, he comforts the man all the same, but he honors the silent between them. But that doesn’t mean that Hijikata doesn’t want to know, the man before Sakata Gintoki of the Yorozuya, the fabled Shiroyasha. Hijikata wants to know of him too.

“Why won’t you tell me..” Hijikata clutches on the hand tighter. _Wake up, tell me._

“Do you not trust me?” _Gintoki_.

He believes in their bond, he really does. Hijikata always knew that there’s something between them that’s just _special_. It’s like fate plays the matchmaker and introduced them to each other. He’s always drawn towards that shining silver, no matter what.

Hijikata continues to weep into Gintoki’s hand. So preoccupied with his own spiraling thoughts that he barely hears it.

“T…--‘shi…. Rou…” Hijikata’s eyes widen.

“Gin…” He hears a ragged breath and follows it with his eyes. Hijikata watches the hand that’s connected to the IV drip reaches for the oxygen mask, Gintoki tears it off his face in one struggling swipe.

“ _Toushirou_ …”

“ _Gintoki!_ ”

That eyes, that maroon orbs—so weak now, barely open. Those eyes meet Hijikata’s again, he scrambles to get closer to Gintoki. That unchanging maroon with that unchanging mirthful look. Hijikata’s tears are dropping on Gintoki’s hospital clothes.

“C’mere…” Gintoki guides Hijikata’s head to his chest as he lets out his scent to comfort his mate. Hijikata sobs some more, relishing in his mate’s engulfing presence. They stay like that for a moment, both in each other’s comfort, alive and well. The sound of the heart monitor accompanies their silent.

“I heard you.” It was Gintoki who broke the spell, his voice has regained his usual timber. Hijikata shuffles to peel himself away from Gintoki’s chest. Hijikata stares at the bed sheet while Gintoki stares at the ceiling. It’s heavy, whatever it is that has settled between them now, it’s heavy on both of their chests.

Gintoki breaks his stare and closes his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Odd. Hijikata couldn’t find it within him to get angry at that. Despite how much it seems like he wants to, how fitting it would be to just get angry at Gintoki’s word—Hijikata isn’t angry at all. Rather, he feels the same way.

“Me too.”

Gintoki and Hijikata always quarrel, that’s how they communicate. But that’s just what they both want to think it is, want everyone to think it is. Because truth is, they don’t communicate. When they truly talk with each other, they just stay quiet like this. They know so much of each other that words become almost meaningless.

Hijikata wants to laugh. Now, knowing that these standoffs they always pull against each other is just their bond working its job, everything seems so much clearer. The fog dissipates, revealing the state of mess the place has always been. People always think that those who don’t have to talk to communicate are on another deeper level of connection. They aren’t wrong, sure, but that doesn’t mean that those kinds of people are free from miscommunication all the same. Knowing without confirmation is just endless accusation. You can’t tell which is true, which isn’t—the purpose of a guessing game is to know the correct answer at the end, is it not?

Hijikata breaks a chuckle, he couldn’t hold the irony no more. Gintoki looks at him, somewhere between puzzled and wanting to join in that laughter because something inside him feels like it knows what the other means by that chuckle. “Move a bit.” Gintoki obliges, giving Hijikata room on the hospital bed. The silver samurai faces his mate when the other plops his raven head on the pillow. Hijikata leans to touch his forehead against Gintoki’s.

“Toushirou—”

“We’ll talk when you’re better.” Hijikata pulls his mate closer. “Right now, just— _help me open up this bond, will you?_ ”

Gintoki follows Hijikata in closing their eyes, focusing on the feeling of their bond. Their scent combines into one that blankets them both in that room.

Yes. Words are meaningless to them. They’re too much, they’re not enough. How fortunate it is that they have something else that is more than just words, isn’t confined by nouns, verbs, prepositions, and such. Something that is theirs and theirs only.

Soul bond.

They crack the final wall between them.

* * *

Kondo Isao is a man of promise, a responsible Commander. He returns to the hospital albeit a little late. He ended up conversing longer with Otae-san. A rare scene where neither of them are doing their usual gag. Just two people finding common ground in being worried of their friends.

When Kondo enters the hospital room again, the first thing he searches is Toshi’s figure in said room. It takes a while to spot the man resting by Gintoki’s side on the bed, an arm splayed across the Yorozuya’s chest. They seem to be asleep, so Kondo leaves the dinner he bought on the table closest to the door.

He tries his best to be quiet, but plastic bag isn’t exactly the quietest thing in the world. In produces a rustling noise and when Kondo checks for the pair on the bed again, he finds his eyes against the Yorozuya’s.

Relief. Kondo feels incredibly relieved at the sight of Gintoki being awake now. He smiles at the other alpha, which is returned all the same by Gintoki.

Kondo leaves the room, waving the pair goodbye before he clicks the door shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that concludes the angsty arc of this fic  
> next time we'll resume with the usual fluff and domestic stuff~


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really.

Shinpachi: Ah, it’s been a long while since we do this kind of scene, isn’t it? This feels nostalgic.

Gintoki: What’s so nostalgic about a BG-only scene, hah? We’re just talking pointlessly and waste time because the staff couldn’t think of a better episode.

Shinpachi: But this isn’t a Gintama episode though, Gin-san..

Gintoki: What’s even the difference, it’s just script, isn’t it? Just write anything here and imagine the voice actors doing it, it’s passable.

Kagura: Out from the hospital and already half-assed as usual, you should stay longer at the hospital, you useless madao.

Gintoki: Oi, oi, cut Gin-san some slack, will you? Gin-san is still recovering from the life-threatening injuries.

Kagura: What life-threatening injury, you just passed out after your head hit the utility pole. You make everyone worried, look at what you did to Toshi! Gin-chan you’re a disgrace, I didn’t raise my son to neglect his mate like that, what kind of a son are you, Gin-chan! Look at how worried Toshi is!

Toushirou: I am literally here.

Gintoki: Hey, that’s none of your business! Leave the adults to sort their own stuff. Gin-san is an incredible mate who takes good care of his Toshi, alright!

Toushirou: No, you don’t, I am literally here.

Shinpachi: Well, we really were worried about you, Gin-san. Have you even talked with Hijikata-san? Not communicating properly in a relationship could result in a lot of bad things, you know.

Gintoki: I know that. And also I don’t want to hear that from someone who has never been in a relationship, you have no rights to talk.

Kagura: He’s right, shut up, Pattsuan, you’re annoying.

Toushirou: Oi! Is no one going to say anything about me?! Also why the hell am I sitting in your lap, you perm head— _Let go!!!_

Gintoki: Nope, I’m not letting you leave, just enjoy Gin-san’s lap, will you? Stop squirming, Gin-san is taking care of his Toshi.

Kagura: Eugh, you guys stink.

Shinpachi: They always stink, Kagura-chan.

Toushirou: I can sit on my own, dammit! What the hell is even this conference, why are we doing this stupid BG-only scene, _why the hell am I in it, oi?!??!?_

Gintoki: We’re here to address some stuff about the story that wouldn’t fit in the narrative. So we decide to just use the usual BG-only tactic since that’s the cheapest and easiest way.

Shinpachi: Do you really have to put it like that, and what’s with the ‘we’? Gin-san, who’s ‘we’?

Toushirou: But that doesn’t explain why I’m here—oi, let go, dammit— _get your hand off there, pervert!!_

Kagura: It’s because Toshi is part of the pack now, you’re an honorary member of this BG-only conference from now on so just sit nice there, Toshi!

Gintoki: Right, Toshi, just sit nicely on Gin-san’s lap and let me just—

Toushirou: STOP YOUR HAND RIGHT THERE YOU PERVERT—

Shinpachi: I’m so glad this isn’t animated or in a comic format. I don’t want to see that.

Kagura: Anyway, what are we going to talk about here, Gin-chan? What are we addressing? Some comments? Nobody has been addressing that from the beginning, isn’t it too late to do that now?

Gintoki: What are you talking about, of course we’re not addressing those comments, it’ll make Gin-san looks uncool if he starts replying to them now.

Shinpachi: It’s too late, isn’t it. That’s your actual excuse, isn’t it.

Gintoki: We’re here to address some unexplained things that could create loopholes and make the readers wonder what’s going on with the story.

Toushirou: Isn’t the ‘unreliable narrator’ enough of an excuse already? This is really pointless.

Kagura: Loopholes? What loopholes, Gin-chan?

Gintoki: Loopholes like how is the Shinsengumi going to function without his Demon Vice-commander? How long has Gin-san and Toshi been together? Where’s the sex scene—

Toushirou: OI, BASTARD, _YOUR HAND!_

Shinpachi: Wasn’t it established that Okita-san is acting as Vice-vice-commander? It was in the second chapter, wasn’t it?

Toushirou: You kidding, in what universe can that damn useless brat do his job. It’s retconned.

Shinpachi: What?! That easy?! Are you still working then, Hijikata-san?

Toushirou: Like hell I can work with this dumbass alpha around me, tch.

Gintoki: Not working my ass, you _did_ work! Don’t even try to lie! You’re glued to that phone of yours every time you’re not on screen for the reader. You’ve been reading reports on them, I know you did! I had to delete them because you won’t stop reading them until late at night. Don’t you see how hard Gin-san is trying to take care of his mate’s health?!

Toushirou: So it really was you who deleted them, you bastard! I lost like two months’ worth of reports because of you! Don’t you know how embarrassing it is to ask Itou every single time to retype those reports?! It’s embarrassing enough that I have to let him handle the works, now you made me have to come up with stupid excuses every time I ask him to retype the reports! He laughs at me all the time, dammit!

Shinpachi: Itou?

Gintoki: You won’t stop mailing that guy! Don’t you know you’re mated to Gin-san, mayora! You should pay attention to your _mate_ , not that guy! If there’s anyone you should mail it’s Gin-san, oi!

Toushirou: It’s just work, bastard!! Of course I have to mail him! What are you even on about, I’m carrying your stupid child already, how more dense can you be?!! Also what the hell, you don’t even have a phone!

Gintoki: Oi, don’t call our child stupid, asshole!!

Shinpachi: Itou. Is that Itou as in Itou-san from that time..

Toushirou: Who else? As if there’s any other competent guy in the Shinsengumi.

Shinpachi: Wait, wait, wait, hold on, wait, _isn’t he already dead?!_ He’s dead, right? We saw him died, right?!

Toushirou: Yeah. He’s alive now.

Shinpachi: What?! How?!

Gintoki: He’s brought back to live to fill in the loophole. There’s your reason why the Shinsengumi is fine and not turning into a sadist empire.

Toushirou: He’s acting as the current Vice-commander under my supervision. That’s why I still have to read the reports.

Shinpachi: Oi, isn’t that just opens up more loopholes?!

Kagura: Stop being so pedantic about it, Shinpachi.

Shinpachi: Kagura-chan, I don’t even know where you learn that word. Also you still haven’t explained how Itou-san is alive!

Gintoki: Why should we even explain it, hah?

Toushirou: It’s fiction, right?

Shinpachi: …

Shinpachi: We’re just opening more loopholes, aren’t we.

* * *

“Teach me! Ginpachi Sensei!”

“Right, today’s letter is from ‘gintoki can **** my ***’, _in the previous chapter it was mentioned out of nowhere that Gin-san is an Apex Alpha, can you tell us what Apex Alpha means? Thank you, and can sensei please **** my *** as well?_ ”

“Eh. As you all already know when reading an omegaverse fanfic, there are three types of secondary-gender. The alpha, beta, and omega. Apex alpha is like apex predator in wildlife classification, basically the top of the hierarchy. The description is just to make Gin-san even more intimidating than he already is, so Gin-san is like the alpha of the alpha. There you go, ‘gintoki can **** my ***’.”

“Next letter, from ‘where is the sex scene’, _hey author, where is the sex scene?_ ”

“…”

Ginpachi throws this letter into the rejected box.

“And last letter, from ‘I love ginhiji’, _ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji ginhiji_.”

“…”

Ginpachi throws this letter as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll write the sex scene later.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hijikata Toushirou.” Hijikata snaps from his thought and stands up from the waiting seat, nudging at Gintoki next to him who’s reading a random hospital magazine. They both scurries into the doctor’s office.

Where do you even progress after that?

After such a heartfelt moment, a story arc where the characters spiraled over their miscommunications and in the end having to reconcile with their anguish thoughts after a climatic point; where the fuck do you go from there? Resume the story? You’re joking, hah? As if it is as easy as that. It’s not easy at all. Don’t you see how hard it is, that one had to go through the trouble of recreating an intermission act that, thankfully, the main source media has often utilized that it could serve as a good base. Dragging every bit of comedy this sorry-ass of an alternate reality fiction to buy some time on coming up with a semblance of a plot. Not to mention that the source media is Japanese but this is written in English and the writer isn’t even a native speaker in those two languages so the sentence structure is always lost between three languages at the same time. The amount of rereading and noticing personal mistakes but couldn’t give a single care because everything is written in semi-drunken state but lacking the alcohol-aid so basically write it, regret it, but ain’t gonna do shit about it. Don’t you see? It’s really hard. Real fucking hard that this entire exposition is written out just to complain over that.

Hijikata thinks the same, even though he was the one who sort of promised the permhead that they’ll properly talk after Gintoki recovered, like hell does he know what he was even saying. That was just from the spur of the moment, oi! His heart was in tatters and took control of his mouth while his brain shouting “Chotto matte a minute, kuda-please!”. That kind of “We’ll talk later” sentence is just what you say when you ran out of things to say, right? Like when you’re constipated and really want to go for a poop so you end the conversation abruptly but you don’t want to be rude to the other so you offer an awkward laugh and say that waving with one hand while the other hand you have to clench it so hard along with your buttcheeks.

Sure, he had followed doctor’s order and confronted his mate. Sure, he laid his heart open like that with a comatose alpha and said alpha more or less heard his teary rambling. Sure, he is rambling again with his thoughts right now—

Where is he going with this?

“Hijikata Toushirou.” Hijikata snaps from his thought and stands up from the waiting seat, nudging at Gintoki next to him who’s reading a random hospital magazine. They both scurries into the doctor’s office.

“Welcome back, Hijikata-san, Sakata-san as well. It’s good to see you again, glad you’re back with us.” The doctor gives them a polite smile.

“Ah, thanks, doc.” Gintoki nods rather sheepishly before taking a seat next to his mate like always. The silver haired alpha has fully recovered from his, _honestly_ , non-fatal injuries. He broke some ribs, had a concussion, some cuts as well, but nothing that the man hasn’t experienced in all his shounen protagonist adventure. _Honestly_ , the only concerning injury was that one with his goddamn head that’s filled with depressing thoughts. They haven’t talked about it again, both still delaying the inevitable. But both also knows of each other’s feelings about the talk as well, what with the bond now fully functional and delivering each and every one of their emotions towards each other. There is no masquerading the guilt for keeping it shut the entire time, both participant feels guilty about it. So, in order to make up for loss time (or loss words, honestly), they both flood the connections with just unprecedented sickly lovey-dovey feeling. At least on Gintoki’s part. Hijikata does it in his own tsundere way while Gintoki unabashedly pours out his love.

“I see your hormones are improving, Hijikata-san. This is good.” Hijikata refrains himself from peering over the document she’s reading, it’s not like he can understand it himself. Medical and police reports are on complete different set of languages. He was never good at reading autopsy reports as well. Though all that, Hijikata feels immensely relieved. This emotion overflows through the bond and Gintoki questions it at first before remembering what they discussed yesterday.

“Have your mate told you about his condition, Sakata-san?” The pair blinks is mild surprise at how the question is directed rather at Gintoki than Hijikata. The omega looks at his alpha who stumbles around his answer. “Yes, ah, he told me last night, actually. It’s good, uh, we sorted it out already.” Gintoki rubs the back of his head.

They did talk, Kagura and Shinpachi acted as their mediator despite Hijikata telling them that their deeper bond is now open. Shinpachi argued that emotional bond still doesn’t equal to a proper verbal discussion and Hijikata had to admit, the boy was completely right. The conversation went around a bit, Hijikata had come clean with saying that it did stem from that particular movie. Like that DiC*pr*o movie, the idea of losing Gintoki was incepted in his mind from that scene where Hana found her wolf corpse being hauled away, which resulted in his anxiety worsening his condition. The two kids said that they share the blame, particularly Kagura who nagged the most about the pair to go watch the movie. Gintoki tried to amend the situation by complimenting the movie, that regardless of anything, he didn’t regret watching it. Hijikata shared this sentiment as well. The movie had brought upon something that was bound to happen either way, both of them knew of the risks they take on daily basis. It was a good discussion, now they all know of Hijikata’s health and can share the responsibility of taking care of each other. They’re a family now, as Shinpachi had said. Family protects each other.

“Wonderful.” She clasps her hands. “As long as this level of balance is maintained, there’s nothing to worry about anymore, Hijikata-san, Sakata-san.” Gintoki finds Hijikata’s hand and gives his mate a good squeeze. They briefly made eye contact. “Shall we do the ultrasound now?”

Nervous? Of course. Giddy? You bet. Excited? No doubt. Hotel? Triv*go—Hijikata hands his phone as per the usual to Gintoki before laying down on the hospital bed. He’s always a tad bit embarrassed about this whole procedure, don’t ask him why, like hell does he know when his face goes slightly red over small things. The doctor runs her preparation, then spreading the cold gel over Hijikata’s abdomen. He dislikes that part of this entire procedure, but it’s one he’s more than willing to endure to see his—their baby. The excitement trumping over everything else. The doctor presses the scanning-tool-thingy-whatever-the-hell-that-is and Hijikata wants to kick Gintoki from how excited he is.

“Now, let’s have a look,” She moves the thing around his stomach, all eyes in the room are glued to the monitor showing monochromatic image. “Ah, congratulations, Hijikata-san, Sakata-san!”

Both of their hearts go ‘ba-dump’.

“It’s a boy!”

**_!!!!!!!!!!!!!Their baby has balls!!!!!!!!!!!!!_ **

“Ahahaha, of course he will, Sakata-san.” Eh? What? Did he say it out lo—Hijikata shoots a glare at his mate who has his hands up in the air with no shade of shame whatsoever. _Dumbass permhead_. Hijikata glowers in embarrassment, partly for Gintoki’s stupidity as always, and partly for his own head who thought of the same thing.

Hijikata hears camera shutter noises the next and his anger-embarrassment takes hold of him completely. “Oi, no need for that, we’ll get the image, won’t we?! Why are you so embarrassing, _honestly_! Get a grip, perm head!!”

“What’s wrong with taking pictures?! I’m just immortalizing the moment, right? What’s wrong with that?! I know we’ll get the picture, no need to get so worked out, oi!”

“You’re so embarrassing! That camera noise is annoying as hell, it’s embarrassing!!”

“What’s so embarrassing, you already have your stomach open with gel all over you as well, what could be more embarrassing, hah?!”

“ _You_ —”

“Gentlemen, this is a healthcare facility.” They both sweats profusely before turning their heads back towards the doctor, who smiles so eerily similar to how Gintoki’s sensei smiled. Hmm. _Yabai_.

* * *

They both walk home. Gintoki has his scooter but he’s walking it rather than riding it. The sky is nearing twilight and the hue is really pretty, Hijikata told his mate that he wants to walk home to enjoy the sight, and Gintoki only went “Hai, sure, darling.” as per usual. They walk a leisure pace, passing down the streets, silently agreeing on taking the longer route to reach home.

They’ve done enough tiptoeing, the need to talk properly. This. Right here. Now.

…

Hell.

Hijikata buries his urge to smash his head over the nearest utility pole. Like hell he can start this, like hell he can just bring out the topic like a magician pulling out a rabbit from his top hat. Even that magic act requires a prerequisite where the magician has the whole bowing down and showing the empty top hat to the audience. How—HOW is he going to pull a trick like that? The only magic he knows is the fake decapitated thumb thing and even that he can’t even pull it right, he has to practice it before hand a good amount of times before showing it to others because he always messes it up and the trick never looks ‘magic’ with him. It’s not magic, though, is it? It’s the lowest, cheapest, dullest, trick in the entire world. Babies could do it. Babies like this one right inside him—

“So, have you thought for a name?” Nice one, Toushirou. You slide that smoothly like a casino dealer, nice one.

Gintoki hums next to him. “Eh, no, I haven’t, actually.”

What?! But the whole idea was—Hijikata huffs the anger out first. He needs to not blow this up again. They tend to do that. A lot already. “You sure you don’t have one or two names in your curly head?”

“Drop the hair bit, will you.” Gintoki just clicks his tongue. “No, I really haven’t. I was too busy thinking about you that I forgot about our baby’s name. Sorry.”

He pauses, even almost stopping in his step as well. Hijikata doesn’t know what to reply to that. 

“At least make it sound sincere, you rotten permhead.”

“Hey, I said drop the hair bit, didn’t I? Did you listen to what I said?” Gintoki huffs, rubbing that silver locks of his. Drop the hair bit but he’s the one who brings it up again, what is he even on, honestly. “I’m sorry, Toushirou.”

It’s just them, walking side by side, they take the long way which goes next to the river. Just them and this bond that’s overflowing from Gintoki’s side. Hijikata really doesn’t know what to reply. He lied, Gintoki has been sincere with his apologies from the start. He knows because he can feel it through their bond. The thing about soul bond, it’s not like the way people paint it as an amazing telepathic communication. It’s just knowing how the other is feeling really well to the point that you can feel yourself overwhelmed by their emotions. It’s about being so sure of what the other is thinking, trusting whatever the other had done, is doing, will do, because you know it like the back of your own hand that there is no lie there. Hijikata realizes, the thing that’s keeping him from confronting his mate, it’s actually this immense guilt that keeps overflowing from Gintoki’s side.

“Tell me.” Gintoki glances at him. “No use telling me sorry all the time. Just tell me what’s inside your head.” Hijikata meets those red eyes. “You know it’s not mind-reading power, I don’t know about your past, I know nothing of you.” Hijikata looks away. “So just tell me.”

His hurt probably bleeds through his walls. Gintoki probably notices it. Ah, let him notice it. That’s how the alpha will know that Hijikata is sincere as well, yeah?

“You said it before, brats like us should stick together. Us, thornies.” Gintoki looks ahead. “Rather than that, I think demon would suffice me more. I don’t remember much of my childhood, I grew up among the corpses of the war. I used to pillage for the leftovers, they called me the corpse eating demon.” Hijikata looks at him, finding it suddenly hard to breathe.

“Someone found me, he was to me what your brother was to you. He was the one who taught me how to hold a sword. How to use it to protect not others, not myself, but my soul.” Hijikata watches a smile grazes Gintoki’s face, it looks sad. “Things happened, I lost him.”

Gintoki looks distant after that and Hijikata can’t place a finger upon this uneasiness. That doesn’t add up, that doesn’t explain the nightmares— “What happened?”

Gintoki doesn’t answer, doesn’t meet his eyes. Hijikata can’t stand this uneasiness that’s turning uglier by the second. “What happened, Gintoki!”

“I killed him.” Hijikata stops. Gintoki stops a few steps ahead of him. Now that they’re stationary, Hijikata finally notices the vice grip Gintoki has with holding his scooter handles this whole time. “I had to choose between him and my comrades. I executed him to protect my friends. At that time, I didn’t know that I could protect both.”

Hijikata couldn’t breathe.

“My nightmare is also losing you. You and everyone. I don’t want to make the same mistake.” Hijikata wraps himself around his mate and guides Gintoki to his neck, he lets out his scent, trying his best to comfort him. He should’ve known their nightmares would just be similar. But he can’t imagine the pain, even with his own tragedy, despite how much it felt like it was, Hijikata wasn’t the one who cut Tamegoro’s eyes. He was protecting his brother, and in the end Tamegoro had lived well ‘til his death. But Gintoki’s pain—Hijikata can only cling to his mate, hoping his presence is enough to ground the silver haired samurai. He pours everything he has into the bond, comforting his mate in all ways he can think of right now.

He could feel Gintoki inhaling deeply into his neck. The stay like that until the sun finally sets behind them.

“You still don’t have a name?” Hijikata starts without moving an inch from their position. He twirls a silver curl around his finger.

“As if you have one.” He can feel Gintoki smiling. “No, we’re not naming him Togoro.”

Hijikata splutters.

“I-I wasn’t going to name him that—”

Gintoki chuckles and kisses his cheek. “Don’t even try to lie, Toshirou-kun.”

Hijikata glares but there’s no heat nor malice behind it. He focuses on loving this idiot right in front of him, hope he gets the message.

“The due date should be around winter, isn’t it?” Gintoki breaks their hug and scratches his chin in thought. “You know, if you go into labor during snowing…”

Hijikata raises an eyebrow, already know where this is going. “What, you’re gonna name our kid Yuki, then?”

“Shiro could also work. I’m sure he’ll inherit my silver hair, the gene is strong after all.” Hijikata feels a tick. How easy it is for them to fall into this sort of banter. He’s not complaining, this one makes his chest warm, actually.

“Don’t say something like that, I don’t want my kids to have natural perm hair.”

“But this hairstyle is strong in the gene pool, you know! Look at that Kanshichirou brat!”

Hijikata takes out a candy cigarette and places it in his mouth. “Right, you have strong gene. You sure you’re not the brat’s father?”

“Now, now, let’s not go there. I already told you and you know it already, you did the background check twice.”

Hijikata’s eyes crinkle as he can’t help the mirthful chuckle. “I know, I’m just teasing you.”

Gintoki smiles as well. He leans close and takes the other end of Hijikata’s candy. He bites into it, snapping it in two and taking the other half. “You’re cute when you’re jealous, actually.”

Hijikata kicks him in the shin.

“Start the engine, let’s go get ramen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahahahahahahaha i need ginhiji  
> also patting myself in the back bc i quite like this ping pong sort of atmosphere from comedy to somber just like the canon material hahahahaahahha i know i'm channeling sakamoto whenever i type that


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Did you bring any clothes, though?”
> 
> “My clothes are already at your place, yes?”
> 
> Shinpachi blinked his realization. Of course.

“Kagura-chan, have you done packing your bag?”

“Yeah, yeah, just a little bit—”

“…Kagura-chan, what are you packing your bag with?”

“Just the usual—eugh, Shinpachi, help me with getting the zipper, _hrrk_ —”

“Why are you just filling your bag with sukonbu?! Why this many?! I told you to pack your clothes not an entire year food ration in war!!”

“Sukonbu is all I need!! Shut up and help, you useless glasses!!”

Shinpachi was just about to shout back when he sighs instead, helping Kagura zipping the duffel bag.

“Did you bring any clothes, though?”

“My clothes are already at your place, yes?”

Shinpachi blinked his realization. Of course.

Kagura pats the finally zipped bag. “Wouldn’t it be easier if I just move at your place, Shinpachi? Gin-chan doesn’t need his mommy to coddle him anymore, he’s a big boy now and living with his darling. A mother who still stays at her son’s place when he’s already all grown up like that is just asking for trouble. What if the mother fights with the son-in-law, what if they quarrel over dinner. And like this where the couple doesn’t want to know they’re about to make babies when the mother is around, the mother isn’t dumb, you know! She already knows. Really troublesome, yes?”

“… What TV drama did you watch this time, Kagura-chan.” Shinpachi shakes his head, Kagura’s words has some truth in it. But, rather than the way the girl always paints herself as the ‘mother’ of this establishment from the running gag, the way Shinpachi clearly sees it is her being Gin-san’s and Hijikata-san’s adopted daughter.

Shinpachi notices the rabbit pattern on the duffel bag.

“This the bag that Hijikata-san bought you, isn’t it?”

Kagura gives him the widest grin, all proud and toothy. “Yes!”

* * *

They’ve decides on having Kagura stay at Shinpachi’s until the due date, which is in about three or so months from now. It’s a setting sure that on surface level seems more like an excuse for the alpha-omega pair to spend more uninterrupted time together. But in actuality, as Hijikata is approaching the much-awaited moment, their behaviors begin changing quite dramatically.

Gintoki is somewhere between his feral and normal self with a dash too much of protectiveness. He growls almost at everyone who gets near Hijikata. Even with Kagura and Shinpachi who the alpha already imprints as his pack, the suppressed growl that Gintoki always lets out whenever Shinpachi helps Hijikata cooks is beginning to turn into a trouble. For starter it’s unnerving, at first when the kids weren’t exactly sure of what is happening, it almost turned ugly.

It’s even worse in public, the way Gintoki would loom behind Hijikata and not turning off his ‘Shiroyasha mode’ is pretty much making Hijikata looks like he’s carrying an actual demon on his back. It’s such a whiplash because when the two of them are alone, Gintoki is perfectly fine, if not acting much sweeter and gentler than usual. He’d actually dote on Hijikata and that would instantly make the omega’s legs weak because damn, damn their pheromones.

Hijikata, on the other hand, isn’t faring any better. Physic wise, he has gained a respectable weight and his body is quite sore nowadays. No matter how fit he was previous to this state, it’s an undeniable fact that his body isn’t build perfectly to carry this kind of weight.

“It’s okay, I’ll carry you around, you don’t have to walk.”

Hijikata smacks Gintoki’s silver mop.

“No, no, for real! Look!” And then Gintoki lifts his omega off his feet. “See? You’re light as a feather, no worries. I can bench-press up to 200 kilos, you know.”

“You’re saying I weigh like a pig, hah?!?!??!?” Hijikata red as a beetroot both from anger and something else.

“You were one when we turned into women, don’t you remem—”

Gintoki didn’t get to finish that sentence because a fist met his entire face instead and he almost dropped Hijikata. Almost.

Returning to how Hijikata has his own change of behavior, he’s been letting out his scent even more as he approaches the due date. It’s practically a call signal for any alpha nearby and despite him being claimed, bonded (soul one as well), with an Apex alpha no less; it still poses as a challenge on who can claim the child—What kind of hellish plot is that? But it’s a known thing in the omegaverse, you know. Read it somewhere on a blogging website with dark blue background. There was even a full biology explanation of the entire thing.

Anyway, it aligns with Gintoki being more overly protective and a bite away from shredding every single alpha near his mate. Thus, they made the arrangement to lock themselves down in the Yorozuya until the due date.

Yeah, convenient plot device.

* * *

Hijikata has been in their room for quite some time now. Gintoki peers at the closed door from where he’s sitting watching late TV shows, sprawled over the sofa with a hand scratching his stomach. His mate said nothing about going to bed earlier, just told him to stay in the living room for a bit. Suspicious? Of course he is, it’s Gintoki at his peak antsy-ness after all. What is his darling doing inside their room? What is he hiding? How long has he been there—invite him in already, dammit!! Why is he turning into some sort of vampire who needs to be invited in, it’s his goddamn house in the first place. Oi, mayora prince darling honey sweetie rotten demonic vice-commander—

(Insert noise of washitsu door being slid open)

Insert image of Hijikata popping his head out from the washitsu room.

Gintoki blinks. Is Hijikata’s face red?

“Uh, let’s go to sleep.”

Gintoki blinks some more. Then he leaps eagerly at his mate’s invitation, trying to suppress his curiosity and excitement of what Hijikata has been preparing.

The alpha has never felt more rewarded than by this sight. Their futons are mashed together with more duvets than usual. One side has a white with blue spiral kimono laid on it. Surrounding that side is various clothing that Gintoki identifies as his clothes. There are several pillows, Hijikata got out their spares to join the nest. Ah, yes, his darling just prepared them a nest. And on the center of said nest, sitting rather nervously with a constipated redness on his face is Hijikata.

The silver haired dumbass mimics a goldfish. Completely awestruck.

“Are those… _all of them?_ ”Gintoki tries to identify how many articles of clothing are in that pile.

“J-just the one that you usually w-wear…” Oh, hell, Hijikata smells so sweet; it fills his nostril immediately and Gintoki dives into the nest.

“Hey!!” The alpha is quick to find his position behind the omega, hands already wrapping around him like octopus and nose buried deep in Hijikata’s scent gland. Gintoki inhales that scent of when Spring meets Summer, now untarnished by the man’s bitterness from tobacco. After quitting smoking for months now, Hijikata is slowly regaining is pure scent. There’s no denying the sharp edges of his scent, Gintoki knows because he himself has that hint of rust that he can’t wash away. But he knows even more that Hijikata’s is far sweeter than his own, despite their opposite taste buds, despite Gintoki being the one who eats sweet stuff by practically inhaling them. Hijikata’s sweetness is pure in the sense that there is something innocent about that scent, something really good that makes him an instant addict to it.

“I think I can quit drinking if I get to live off your scent forever in exchange.”

“Just take your booze.”

“You want me to die of liver failure, Hijikata-kun? That’s really mean.”

“Wha—No— _eugh_ …” Hijikata buries his face on one of the pillows. After a bit of being embarrassed and frustrated, Hijikata shifts to face Gintoki, mirroring the other’s action of basking in each other’s scent. Gintoki nuzzles into that jet-black locks.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry for saying that, no more death jokes, my bad.” Things like this makes Hijikata grateful of their deeper bond. He doesn’t want to say it out loud, but the emotion coils inside him vividly that Gintoki can fluently transcript it. The raven buries himself closer into Gintoki’s warmth.

The silver alpha tilts his head to kiss his cheek. He trails towards the lips and soon they share a handful of kisses. From just a soft press to a tender one, then into one with so much heat that leaves Hijikata slightly breathless.

“I was thinking we could just sleep, I’m really exhausted right now.” - “I was thinking we could have sex, I’m really horny right now.”

They stare at each other.

“Tou—”

“No.”

“PLE—”

“NO.”

The scene fades into black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah if i have the energy i'll write the sex scene later


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a certain cotton-candy head bastard’s birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIN-CHAN

It’s a certain cotton-candy head bastard’s birthday.

That’s no secret at all, everyone knows it. It trended and got number 1 ranking on the social media. It’s clear and needs no explanation on whose birthday it is today.

Which is what exactly Gintoki been expecting since the clock strikes midnight and the calendar changes date into the 10th of October.

Is it his birthday? The day that he was born? Maybe, who knows; for as long as Gintoki could remember, this is the date that he celebrated it. Gintoki has a snapshot of memories regarding the date. One couldn’t exactly remember every single birthday celebration over the course of one’s life, but one can certainly recall the memorable ones. One and zero and one and zero. Or something like that.

The first and foremost was the one he celebrated with Shouyo. He still remembers it like it was yesterday. Shouyo had unilaterally declared that it was his birthday, and what was Gintoki if not a good disciple that just nodded along his sensei’s cheerful exclamation. The day that Shouyo found him amongst the carcass of samurai became his birthday. How poetic yet half-assed at the same time. It encapsulated every essence of Yoshida Shouyo perfectly. All they had was a manjuu split in half and Gintoki would never forget the taste of his first celebration.

The second was with the shortstack and wig. The three of them with their sensei laughed through the entire afternoon eating onigiri. Zura’s onigiri is the same as usual, there was nothing special of those riceballs, the only thing ‘adventurous’ about it was the single candle planted on one of the riceballs. The third was the first time he celebrated it with Kagura and Shinpachi. The first time someone had bought him an entire cake, a strawberry cream one in fact.

Every year it gets easier for him to smile on this very day. Every year he looks forward to the next one. Today is no different at all. In fact, Gintoki is looking forward the most for this very day. He knows in his guts that this one will be added to his mental scrapbook, that this one will be one of the most memorable one he had. He’s going to celebrate it with his mate and their unborn child.

* * *

From the moment he’s awake, there’s no doubt he’s the birthday boy and that everyone is treating him as such. Gintoki still pretends he’s asleep during Hijikata’s morning softness. But today, there’s no rush in waking the permhead. Hijikata wakes up and just cards through his alpha’s silver locks, letting out the sweetest and most comforting scent Gintoki has ever had the privilege to smell. If time could just stretch into eternity, the alpha would like to be locked in this exact point in time-space continuum. Gintoki’s arm around Hijikata’s waist, his nose buried on the raven’s scent gland, and it’s just pure bliss. No doubt a glutton, but if Hijikata was to just say that this is his birthday gift, Gintoki would’ve been satisfied, no complain whatsoever.

But the day just keeps on giving. They eventually get up after Hijikata’s (birthday special) soft persuasion, saying that there’s more for him today and that requires the both of them to wake up from just lounging on their futon through the entire day. Gintoki would never say no to such offer.

The day begin with Kagura and Shinpachi enthusiastically greeting him and Hijikata, then wasting no time in tackling Gintoki (Sadaharu joins in last second) into a cuddle pile and wishing him happy birthday. Hijikata is there by their side with a genuine happy face and this alone could be Gintoki’s birthday present and he’d be at cloud nine right this very moment.

But they just have to keep blowing Gintoki’s mind. The silver haired perm declined celebrating it at the Shimura’s or at Otose’s bar. They can celebrate it with a bigger crowd next year or something. This year he really wants to just spend it with his closest family, this small pack that he’s built. Celebrating it with the kids and his mate. So they opt for a birthday dinner party at the Yorozuya, just the four of them.

The three of them shoved out Gintoki to walk Sadaharu while the three busy themselves with prepping the dinner. This took a lot of reassurance and prying the alpha off his omega, but eventually Gintoki relented. Kagura had Sadaharu chomped Gintoki off before dashing through the door. The blood loss helps in reducing Gintoki’s consciousness through the walk (rather than Gintoki walking Sadaharu, it’s more like Sadaharu making sure Gintoki isn’t returning to the apartment before the three finish with the preparation), otherwise not even the strength of a dozen men can drag Gintoki away from his mate.

Sadaharu carried him like a stick around Edo, only after they were too far away from the Yorozuya that Gintoki came to his senses and walked on his own. He grumbled through the majority of the walk, emitting intimidating scent that had people nearby avoiding him instantly. But Gintoki knew there’s nothing to worry about. His instinct is just messing his head up. Hijikata and the kids are at home preparing his birthday party and he should focus on the happy part, not the nagging-antsy-alpha-who-can’t-stand-being-apart-his-mate-for-just-a-second side.

Around dusk they return home. From then on, it’s the standard birthday party with Kagura and Shinpachi greeting him with party poppers by the entryway. Childish? Suits him perfectly. Hijikata even chuckles as he leans on the doorframe. Such a normal birthday celebration but Gintoki feels like in heaven.

There’s a birthday cake at the center of table, surrounded by various food. Covered in white cream and red strawberries on top. Gintoki knows this isn’t store-bought because of the sloppiness in slathering the cream, the way the strawberries are scattered unevenly. This is some labor of love and Gintoki knows dead-on who made it.

“So when you asked me to teach you how to bake a cake weeks ago, this was the reason?” Gintoki shoots a fond look at Hijikata who immediately gets embarrassed. Ah, he’s so loved.

“Let’s just eat.” Hijikata grumbles and ushers all of them to take a seat. Gintoki slides under the kotatsu and he thinks about how this is already the best birthday he’s ever had when Hijikata slides next to him, rather than taking one of the four sides.

Gintoki is thoroughly impressed. He’s not even going to deny or pretend that he isn’t. There’s nothing but happiness oozing from his pore, enveloping his pack and influencing the atmosphere. He’s so overjoyed that he isn’t even any bit annoyed when Kagura gives him a nose-hair clipper as birthday present. Gintoki just laughs and ruffles the Yato girl’s hair. Shinpachi gives him a bottle of good sake, he says that it’s a joined gift with his sister. The boy admits bashfully that he was unsure what to give as a present, so he had consulted his sister. Gintoki thanks the boy properly the same way he thanks Kagura.

The silver haired samurai was just about to turn to face his mate with an eyebrow waggle and open palm when Gintoki realizes the kids stand up from the kotatsu. Shinpachi makes an excuse about cleaning the dishes while Kagura says something about her show starting soon. Gintoki blinks stupidly but chalks it off as the kids being considerate of the pairs’ intimate moment.

“Gintoki,”

Yep. This is incredibly intimate.

The ‘Yes, darling~’ tease is just at the tip of his tongue but he manages to hold himself back. Don’t ruin it.

Gintoki watches Hijikata cleans the table a bit for a clear space, then he produces a piece of paper from inside his kimono, which he places in front of Gintoki.

Gintoki’s eyes widen.

“Toushirou…”

“Happy birthday.”

The silver haired samurai gapes, both at the paper and at his mate who has such a mirthful smile. He stares at the paper, unbelieving his eyes at the words written on it. A legal form. A legal name change form. It’s already filled in and Gintoki fixates on one spot.

_Sakata Toushirou_

Gintoki kisses Hijikata immediately. He buries himself on Hijikata after the kiss because there are literal tears in his eyes. He can’t hold them, he can’t stop the wave of emotion that’s overflowing his chest. Feeling the dampness and how quiet Gintoki has become, Hijikata (or is it Toushirou now?) pulls his mate closer. Hijikata holds the man, rubbing circles at his back. Kagura and Shinpachi peeks in quietly, seeing their Yorozuya boss overwhelmed with emotions that drips into the air with his scent. The kids were surprised and concerned at first, but the smile on Hijikata’s face reassures the kids that everything is alright. Their boss is just too happy to be functioning right now. Kagura and Shinpachi returns that smile, going back to the living room to let the mated pair have their moment.

Hijikata runs his fingers through Gintoki’s hair, massaging the scalp. He huffs a laughter. “Are you going to sign the paper or not?”

Gintoki presses closer to Hijikata as his answers.

“Right, right. If you want to know how, the kids help me with the documents and getting the form.” Hijikata leans his head against Gintoki’s. “And for the why, it’s because it’s just natural, isn’t it? I’m already living here, I’m carrying your pup, this is just logical.”

Gintoki says nothing.

“You already know the reason why.” 

Gintoki peels himself and kisses Hijikata again. Yes. He knows the true reason and how it fills their bond to the brim. This is definitely the best present he’s ever had.

“ _Thank you_.”

A family.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come.

Gintoki: _It’s time._

Kagura: It’s time.

Shinpachi: … What time?

Toushirou: … 5 in the afternoon, I believe.

Shinpachi: … Oooh, you’re going to prepare now, Hijikata-san?

Toushirou: Yeah, I should start. Lend me a hand, Glasses.

Shinpachi: Hai, hai.

Kagura: What’s for dinner today?

Toushirou: What would you guys like—

Gintoki: WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, NO, WHAT, THAT’S NOT IT, THAT’S NOT IT, _OOOOIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!_

Kagura: What, it’s not time for dinner?

Shinpachi: It isn’t?

Toushirou: It’s almost dinner, though.

Gintoki: OI, READ THE MOOD, DAMMIT!!!! GIN-SAN IS TRYING TO SET THE ATMOSPHERE HERE, _OOOIIII!!!_

Shinpachi: Gin-san, what mood are you even talking about. You just said ‘It’s time’ without context, like anyone could even understand that.

Kagura: Yeah, yeah, I thought it’s time for food, seriously. Gin-chan, you should put more context. Who’s going to understand if you don’t give context to what you’re saying? You’re a shounen protagonist, aren’t you, Gin-chan? You should know this already. Gin-chan really is a useless protagonist.

Gintoki: WHAT’S MY SHOUNEN PROTAGONIST TITLE HAS TO DO WITH THIS—I JUST SAID IT, DIDN’T I? GIN-SAN IS TRYING TO SET THE ATMOSPHERE, READ THE GODAMN MOOD, YOU BRATS!!!

Toushirou: Oi, cut the capslock shit, we can read you just fine.

Shinpachi: Isn’t it ‘hear you just fine’, Hijikata-san?

Toushirou: Yeah, but it’s in text form, you don’t listen to typed words, do you?

Shinpachi: Ah, you’re right.

Kagura: Shinpachi, you’re still calling Toshi ‘Hijikata’, isn’t he ‘Sakata’ now?

Shinpachi: Hmm, well, you’re right, Kagura-chan. But calling ‘Sakata-san’ is just like calling Gin-san.

Kagura: Just call him Toshi.

Shinpachi: I mean…

Toushirou: Whatever suits you, I don’t mind you using my first name.

Shinpachi: ‘Toushirou-san’, that’s alright?

Toushirou: Yeah.

Kagura: Toshi, I want tamago-kake-gohan for dinner.

Toushirou: Hey, that’s for breakfast—

Gintoki: I’M TRYING TO GET THE MOOD HERE, _OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!_

Shinpachi, Kagura, Toushirou: _WHAT DAMN MOOD, PERMHEAD????????!!!!!!!!!_

* * *

It’s time. After nine months of arduous (“What the fuck, what ‘arduous’, oi.”) waiting, the pain (“What goddamn pain—you’re not even the one who’s—”) one must endure to carry a child (“I said what pain—YOU WEREN’T THE ONE CARRYING THE BRAT!”). Nine months of incredible back pains, insane cravings at ungodly hours, batshit crazy mood swings, weight gains that completely ruins the appearance (“I’m killing him. I’m really going to kill him. If the kid doesn’t have a father, then so be it.”). The time has finally come!

_To give birth!_

(“STOP FUCKING AROUND, BASTARD!”)

(“I thought it’s time for Gintama – The Final movie.” “That’s next month, Kagura-chan.”)

* * *

“But it’s really the time, though.” Gintoki sits with a face nursing incredible bruises. You can barely recognize him as a person, let alone Gin-san with that number of swollen areas. If it isn’t for his distinguishable silver perm mop, you won’t even guess that’s Gin-san. He struggles to get his dinner into his face, barely able to chew.

“We know that already.” Kagura rolls her eyes, helping herself with her second bowl of miso soup.

“Gin-san doesn’t have to announce it like that for us to know.”

“But—”

“Tch, really, _you_. It’s my own body, isn’t it? What’s with suddenly trying to be all serious like that; we’re close to the finish line and you’re only _concerned_ now?”

“Hey, I’ve always been concerned! Your due date is just right around the corner, it could be anytime now, are you not even remotely panicking about it?!”

“The baby will come when he comes! The due date is still in a month, calm yourself down, dammit.”

“I am calm!”

“listen to yourself!”

“Maa, maa, Gin-san, Toushirou-san, there’s nothing to worry, like Toushirou-san said, we still have time. The doctor said it, right?”

Gintoki keeps his stern glare at his mate. He loves his mate; God knows how much he really loves this one-of-a-kind omega sitting right next to him. But sometimes, maybe a little more than sometimes, maybe close to often, maybe infuriatingly almost daily; Toushirou is insanely stubborn. You’d think that Gintoki is the childish one in this relationship. Well, to a certain extent, you’re absolutely correct. Gintoki doesn’t even deny that. But please look and realize that the amount of stubbornness in this mayonnaise loving omega can reach above and over the moon. Gintoki is reckless, but Toushirou is _reckless_. That side of him who puts his own self second to everything else, especially when there’s something that he zeroes on with full determination; Gintoki knows damn well what kind of side that is. He’s one after all.

It’s just that—

There’s this restlessness inside the alpha. He can’t pin-point it exactly, this is the first time he’s experiencing it. It’s not that Gintoki has never experienced his instinct going haywire. Like elderly people experiencing pains in their joints just before it rains; Gintoki is well-acquainted with the whole ‘bad premonition’ thing. He’s been taking advantage of this very hidden ability to get through his life up until now. However, this one restlessness that’s pricking chaotically inside him; Gintoki has never felt this way before. It’s another kind of bad feeling, and the silver haired alpha doesn’t understand why Toushirou isn’t feeling this as well. They’re soul bonded, surely the other end has a taste of it as well, right? Gintoki may have limited knowledge regarding soul bond and its specialty, but it’s a two-way kind of uniqueness, right? That’s as far as Gintoki understands it.

“You’re unusually worried. We’re prepared for when the baby comes, aren’t we? You asked for the procedure to the doctor. We already told Glasses and China here about what to do. We already ran through all the scenarios like what you told us, even the ridiculous one like if it happened during horseback-riding. As if that one can ever happen.” Toushirou doesn’t roll his eyes despite wanting to do so, his face just softens slightly in hope to console the seemingly distressed alpha.

“Yeah, Pattsuan and I know the drill.”

“We’re well prepared for when the baby comes, Gin-san.”

Toushirou looks at Gintoki. The alpha’s face remains a constipated one. There’s no denying the frustration that permeates from the man’s usually aloof scent. Toushirou wants to pull his mate in his arms and just cover him with his own scent to calm the alpha down. But they’re eating dinner now and the kids are still here. The most he can do is sending reassurance to the other side of his bond and he already did. Toushirou has been sending countless stream of it ever since the beginning of the entire conversation. But for some reason, he gets no reply or reaction from the permhead. Gintoki is unusually stressed and the one thing that makes it incredibly unusual is how open the man is with displaying it now.

After everything that they’ve been through, Toushirou knows by now that Gintoki is the type to hide his own concerns. He can panic all for show, but when it comes to serious matters, Gintoki is rather reserved about it. He doesn’t lose composure often, Toushirou notes.

This Gintoki sitting next to him has frustration written all over his face.

“We’ll be alright.”

“I know..” He says that but that expression only deepens, Toushirou notices. The omega looks across the table at the two kids, the three of them share a look of concern for the Yorozuya boss.

“Gin-chan.”

“It’ll be alright, Gin-san.”

“We all know what to do. Everything will be fine.”

Gintoki lets out his stress into one exhale of sigh. “Right, right. My bad.” He gives a trying smile. “But seriously, _it’s time soon_.”

The kids break into smile as well, with Toushirou following. They continue their dinner in their usual spirit. Gintoki shoves his worry aside from now. It doesn’t mean that the feeling stops nagging the back of his head, though. It remains a constant throbbing that makes him unease, no matter how much he tries to reason with himself.

Maybe it’s the fear of losing Toushirou—they’re so close to losing each other, too many times now for their own comfort, it already turned into nightmares for the both of them. This close to the end and Gintoki can’t stop thinking about the risk of losing both his mate and his pup, like what the doctor said.

Despite how well-prepared they are, how careful they are with the entire procedure—a risk is still a risk. It’s life’s own gamble, no one can interfere when it comes to something like fate. Gintoki really dislikes this bad feeling coiling inside him.

After they’re done with dinner, Shinpachi and Gintoki do the dishes. They all take turns in helping Shinpachi, the resident cleaner, in the kitchen. Gintoki already bans Toushirou from doing heavy duties, but the stubborn man keeps insisting on doing chores under the pretense of “I should move. You still need to exercise during pregnancy, you know.”. Kagura is the laziest of them all, needing to be dragged to do chores. But Gintoki nowadays assign her on Toshi duty, keeping watch of the omega in case the Mayora decides to do something stupid. After dinner, the other two combo sits in the living room, perusing over the TV channels as they wait for Shinpachi to finish. Then the two kids usually go back to Otae’s, leaving Gintoki and Toushirou at the Yorozuya alone for the night.

Gintoki drops the plate he’s washing into the sink when he hears Kagura screaming.

“ _GIN-CHAN! SHINPACHI!_ ”

He dashes to the living room the moment he hears a thud from the other room.

“TOSHI—”

Everything unravels for Gintoki when he sees Toushirou collapses on the floor, curling on himself. Kagura is holding him as best as she could, panic and fear written all across her face. She doesn’t know what to do—

“T-Toshi—Gin-ch-chan—”

Gintoki’s eyes widen at the fluid that is starting to pool underneath Toushirou.

“ _Shinpachi, call for the ambulance!_ ”

The boy runs for it immediately, and Gintoki takes over Kagura in carrying Toushirou. The raven is completely lost in his own pain, wincing in ragged breaths.

“G-Ginto—ki—”

“I’m here, I’m right here, it’ll be fine,”

Gintoki hates this bad feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will be the end, and then there will be epilogue  
> yeehaw


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Shinpachi-kun!”
> 
> “Kondou-san!”
> 
> “Is everything alright—”

“Shinpachi-kun!”

“Kondou-san!”

“Is everything alright—”

Kondou stops in his track; and with him, so does the rest of the Shinsengumi that follows him behind. Sougo on his left and Itou on his right; they all freeze in place, with majority of the Shinsengumi troops halting in complete fear. What stops the Commander isn’t Shinpachi’s distressed look plastered on the boy’s face, it’s the Yorozuya alpha that bristles at the back of the crowd. One wrong move from Kondou and even the Gorilla Commander isn’t stupid enough to pick a fight with another alpha, let alone an apex alpha like Gintoki.

“Told you, the rest shouldn’t have come.” Despite the lax tone in his voice, even Sougo is visibly tense by the other alpha.

“I told them to not come but they wouldn’t listen.” Itou scorns at the Shinsengumi troops behind him.

“But we’re worried about Fukucho—”

“Use your head, do you all really don’t know what we’re dealing here?!” The rest of the Shinsengumi flinches at the 1st Division Captain snapping all of the sudden.

The silver haired alpha approaches them, growling dangerously. Heavy pheromones filling the corridor. “ _Send them home_.”

“Gin-chan.” Kagura holds down the man from walking further down the hospital corridor, but even she’s struggling with it.

“Kondou-san.” Sougo looks at his Commander.

“You all hear the man. Itou, send them home.” The alpha of the Shinsengumi pack looks straight at the alpha of the Yorozuya pack.

“Kondou-san—”

“You can return here after that. Send them back to the barrack first. I’m counting of you, Itou.”

Gintoki is still glaring dagger from across the hallway at the Shinsengumi.

The silver haired alpha only finally unfurls when the hallway is clear of the unwanted crowd. Gintoki then returns to his previous spot, sitting at the end of the bench closest to the surgery room. There’s a gap between him and the rest of the Yorozuya. Kondou takes a seat near Shinpachi while Sougo stands next to him.

“He doesn’t allow anyone to come near, not even Otose-san.” The old lady had wanted to come along, with Tama and Catherine as well. But seeing how Gintoki had to be strangled away by Kagura from assaulting the paramedics, Otose backed down. She told Shinpachi to keep an eye on the useless alpha. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Kagura holding the alpha down, Shinpachi doesn’t know what could’ve happened. It was a huge struggle to pry the alpha away from his mate when they rolled Toushirou-san to the surgery room. They had made quite a ruckus in the emergency unit.

“So,”

Shinpachi looks down on the white tiles.

“Preterm birth, it seems.” Kondou lets out the breath he doesn’t even know he was holding. This is just too much—this wasn’t what the Commander had in mind when he thinks about Toshi and Gintoki having an adorable pup all nine months ago. What he had was something more smooth-sailing and less of an emotional rollercoaster of life-death situation. Their lives are meant to be laughable, even Kondou knows that much of their comedic punchlines, he himself the butt of the joke. But he admits, there are times when they’re faced with the reality of their settings, how dangerous one’s life can be when you have a sword in your hand. Those two—Kondou knows well of their kind of lives. He’s worried about Toshi’s health, has always been, never stopped, even more worried during Gintoki’s time at the hospital back then; but Kondou never expected it to result in something as serious as this.

“The doctor said it might be from the stress.” Kondou understands that, he remembers what happened a few months ago. “And Toushirou-san was a heavy smoker before, the doctor already said how risky it would be for Toushirou-san, especially since it’s his first time.”

“We’re told to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, Kagura-chan and I were told what we should do when Toushirou-san goes into labor because we’re going to be the one helping Gin-san getting him to the hospital.”

Next to Shinpachi, Kagura shuffles to pull her knees to her chest. She buries her face and her shoulders shake. Shinpachi’s voice cracks when he starts again.

“In the end, we really weren’t prepared at all.” Kondou rubs Shinpachi’s back, who tears up along with Kagura. It’s a testament to how much of a constant figure Toshi has become to the two kids. Gintoki remains a statue at the end of the hallway, back facing the rest of them. Kondou knows, that among everyone else here in this hospital right now, the alpha probably blames himself the most.

* * *

The door unlocks and Gintoki immediately rises from his seat. A nurse walks pass him first, pushing down a crib and if it wasn’t for the doctor stopping him, Gintoki would’ve leapt to the trolley.

“Sakata-san, we need to talk first.” Gintoki’s eyes are manic, it’s through combined force by the rest of the Yorozuya and added aid of the two Shinsengumi Commander-Captain that Gintoki is standing still there. The alpha only realizes what he’s just about to do when he looks at everyone holding him down in one way or another.

_What is going on with him—_

“Sakata-san,”

Gintoki zeroes on the doctor, the urgency and heaviness in her voice clears his mind momentarily.

“I need your full cooperation in this. What I’m about to tell you is crucial in the survival of both your mate and pup.” Every inch of his senses focuses to pay attention to the doctor. The rest of them slowly releases him from their grip after seeing Gintoki not fighting them subconsciously anymore, though Kagura keeps a tug at his kimono sleeve. The weight in her words is enough to snap the alpha out of his ferality.

Everyone listens as well.

“We almost lost the mother and the pup.”

Gintoki forgets how to breathe instantly.

“We had to remove the pup because there was a rupture in the membranes. We couldn’t determine the cause of the rupture, but we suspect it’s the stress taking the toll on the mother.” Everything dies in his throat, Gintoki feels like not hearing a single thing the doctor says.

“A-are they alright… d-doc,” Kondou becomes the voice for the five of them. Kagura and Shinpachi too shocked to even form a word, even Sougo looks taken aback.

“They both made it alive, miraculously. But the pup is currently being moved to the NICU for intensive care. The mother lost a significant amount of blood and currently being monitored.” The doctor looks straight at Gintoki. “He’s in critical condition right now, Sakata-san, and I need your help in this.”

“ _What do you need me to do—_ ”

“Hold on, please, let me explain first.” The doctor stops Gintoki from barging into the room.

“The nature of your bond with your mate is very unique, it’s yet to be fully discovered but there are studies that shows the co-dependency between soul bonds, perhaps even further into the sharing-lifespan theory. In short, you two are more connected than what you really think.”

“With normal bonds, the chance of survival of both mother and pup is very low. In many cases, one will die, or worse. But with soul bonds, the chance of survivability is increased with the presence of the alpha. You can save your mate.”

“How.”

“By constantly being near your mate. Your pheromones will provide the needed help in recovery for your mate. It will start the co-dependency recovery system in his body at the cost of a great amount of pheromones from the alpha, however.”

“What the hell are we doing outside then!” The doctor stops Gintoki again from entering the room.

“This is where it gets complicated, Sakata-san.” She looks distressed and Gintoki doesn’t like that at all. “The pup also needs your presence at the same time.”

Never have Gintoki ever wanted to split himself in half until right this very moment.

“Can’t the baby be brought here, sensei?” Shinpachi looks between the doctor and the silver haired alpha who has a predetermined look on his face.

“Unfortunately no, he’s in dire need for intensive care at the NICU.”

“Where is it?”

“Gin-chan,”

“It’s on the second floor.”

“Who needs me first?”

Shinpachi and Kagura looks at their Yorozuya boss in dismay. They know what the alpha is intending to do, and neither could do anything from the severity of the situation. Kondou looks helpless, Sougo mirroring it.

“The mother first. We’re not entirely sure how long each exposure is needed, we would need the alpha’s judgement on that.”

Gintoki nods, this time he’s allowed to go near the door.

“Once the exposure is started, they’ll need constant stream of your pheromones. If a long period break occurs, it may result in the deteriorating of the cells since it has started the co-dependency system.”

The alpha’s hand on the doorhandle, one move away from meeting his mate.

“How long do I need to do this?”

“Until both your mate and pup are stable. I’m afraid we couldn’t determine the exact period required since it depends on the individuals.”

They watch Gintoki enters Toushirou’s room.

* * *

When Toushirou opens his eyes, he feels like he just recovered from being steamrolled by a truck. He feels like his soul is completely drained from his body and even opening his eyes is a struggle on its own. But he opens them, nonetheless. There’s something inside him that pushes them to open, regardless of how hard it is. Toushirou clings to that need to wake up.

“Ah, Toushirou-san!” The raven shifts to look at the source of the voice exclaiming in a rather hushed tone. It’s Shinpachi standing next to his hospital bed.

“Shin.. “ His throat hurts.

The boy immediately tends to his side, bringing a glass of water to his face. “Here, let me help.”

After a few careful sips, Toushirou feels a bit better. It not only clears his throat but his mind as well. “ _Shinpachi—!_ ”

“Gin-san is sleeping right on the sofa.” The boy points at the other side of Toushirou’s bed, at the small seating area with a sofa and coffee table. Sprawling rather awkwardly on the worn sofa is the silver haired alpha sans his kimono. There’s a crib next to him with a lot of equipment attached to the thing, an incubator. _Is that—_

Toushirou is stopped from getting up the hospital bed by Shinpachi. The man barely registers his own body moving for his baby and mate.

“Please be careful, you’re still recovering, Toushirou-san.” Shinpachi fixes Toushirou back in bed, patting down the hospital blanket and also the piece of fabric on top of it. A white fabric with familiar swirling pattern and familiar musk. It’s Gintoki’s missing kimono.

Toushirou recalls bits of images, one that pops right in his mind is Gintoki sleeping right next to him on the hospital bed, holding his hand.

“What… happened?”

“The doctor said your condition just stabilized. You’ve been in and out since you finally broke out from the fever after the surgery.”

“Is the pup—” Toushirou darts to look at his left side again, wanting to see his pup and mate, wanting to check if they’re alright. He’s more worried about them than with his own health, if he was to be frank.

“He’s alright. His condition is stable enough for the hospital to agree to bring him here from the intensive care unit. But he’s still not allowed outside the incubator, the doctor said.” Toushirou widens at Shinpachi’s words. _Was it really that serious—_

“We practically beg the hospital to let the pup be brought here, actually. Me, Kagura-chan, and I think it’s because of Kondou-san as well. Okita-san did threaten the doctors, even Itou-san helped in explaining the situation to the staff. “ Shinpachi rubs the back of his neck, a somber expression coloring the boy’s face. “We tried to help as best as we could, it was really painful to watch Gin-san pushing himself like that. He finally caught some rest.” The boy looks over the sleeping figure on the corner of the room and Toushirou realizes how disheveled the alpha really is.

“What do you mean..”

“The doctor said that in order for both of your survival, you’d need constant exposure of the alpha’s pheromones until both conditions are stable. The intensive care unit is on the second floor while Toushirou-san’s room is on the fifth. Gin-san had been running non-stop across the floors to get to both places. He hadn’t taken any breaks because it might disrupt the recovery process.”

“He’d stay at the pup’s side for an hour, then dashes right back up here. Then he’d run again for the other end of the hospital. He covers both places with his scent so much that it trails in the hallway. It’s honestly quite suffocating here for other people, that’s why I’m the only one here right now.”

Toushirou could only stare at his mate.

“How long did he had to do that?”

“The incubator was only brought in an hour ago. So, I think it’s almost the fourth day already.”

He snaps at the beta boy in horror. “ _Four days—_ ”

Shinpachi looks as grim as he is. “We tried everything! We tried to help buy him time for him to rest—we brought the pillows and blankets from home that still has Gin-san’s scent, but it’s not enough. We can’t exactly stop him, we couldn’t risk that for Toushirou-san’s and the pup’s health.” The boy lowers his head, fists shaking on top of his knees. “We really begged the hospital to let us have the pup be in the same room with the mother, but his condition was really bad. Both of you were in critical condition and Gin-san couldn’t just abandon one for the other. He’d cut himself in half if that’s even possible.”

He’d definitely do that if he could. Trying to cover two different places at the same time, not resting for even a second, pushing his body to the limit for the sake of others; Toushirou knows Gintoki so well. And he himself would do the same thing if he’s in the other’s position.

The omega peels himself from the bed, completely ignoring the beta calling for him. He staggers to his mate, dragging with him the various hospital instruments still attached to him. Shinpachi helps him with all the lines, making sure nothing is tangled or pulled too hard; the boy gives up in trying to keep those two apart. The best he can do now is help Toushirou-san gets to his mate and pup safely.

Toushirou ignores all the agonizing scream from his body, he moves as careful as he could, aware of his own predicament. And yet it’s nothing in comparison to how much he wants to be with Gintoki right now. It’s just a short distance, he can do it, just a little bit more.

He lays next to Gintoki on the sofa, cramping with the alpha by his side. It’s an awkward position but Toushirou couldn’t give a crap about that. The silver haired man only shifts slightly in his exhaustion. Shinpachi drapes the white kimono over the both of them.

“I leave you guys to rest for now, I’ll call for the doctor later, Toushirou-san. Please take care.”

“ _Ah—_ Thank you, Shinpachi.” The boy smiles before leaving the room.

Toushirou shuffles to look at the incubator next to them, he could barely make out the figure of their pup sleeping within the box. His eyes trails to the number of tubes and instruments surrounding them, gazes at his own IV drip. Next to him is Gintoki practically passed out from complete exhaustion. Having to stay up for four days straight, constantly running his pheromones for the sake of him and the pup. Even if the samurai is of super-human level, no matter how much monstrous strength and stamina he has—Gintoki is still just human.

His hand traces at the lines under Gintoki’s closed eyes, at the dip in his complexion. Did he even eat anything? Burning his own energy like that, did he even take the time to replenish himself? Kagura and Shinpachi probably feeds him, those two knows how to take care of their useless boss, after all. But something tells him that Gintoki probably refuses to get distracted, even for something like eating for his own sake. His endurance is just insane, but Toushirou knows that it’s just him pushing through all his limits, forsaking his own needs.

The room reeks of the alpha’s scent. It’s practically the only thing you can smell in the entire space. Gintoki’s autumn rain is the only thing filling the room. Anyone else would’ve gagged at the intense level of pheromones, but if anything, it soothes Toushirou immensely. He’s so accustomed with the scent already that he barely notices it hanging in the air. Like a comforting blanket draping over him, it soothes all his pain and lulls him to sleep.

Toushirou buries himself closer to Gintoki and drifts off with his mate.

* * *

When Toushirou wakes up again, he’s back on the hospital bed. He expected to see more people in the room but his eyes only land on Gintoki who’s munching on food next to his bed. The man has dragged a chair and using the hospital tray as a table for his food. Toushirou notices the convenience store bento he’s eating, and then he notices the incubator also closer to his bed. Gintoki doesn’t seem to realize he’s awake already, judging by how the silver haired man is still looking at the TV in the corner of the room.

Toushirou shifts to get the glass of water right next to the bed, and that’s when Gintoki helps him before he can reach it. Gintoki helps him with the glass, Toushirou mutters a thanks afterwards. The alpha then adjusts the pillows so that Toushirou can sit.

“Did you put me back here?”

“Yeah, Shinpachi brought the doctor just a while ago.” Gintoki taps at the plastic bento box. “Brought food. Anyway, you conked real good after they give you your meds.”

Toushirou looks around.

“No one’s here?”

Gintoki snorts a self-deprecating laugh. “Yeah, this room really stinks, you know.”

Toushirou finds himself breaking a soft laugher as well. “It really does.”

Can’t be helped, this stinking odor is what keeping him and the baby alive. Both of them owe their lives to this stinky scent. Though, honestly, to him, it’s not stinky at all. Far from it. One of the best scents out there for Toushirou, one of the most appealing for him. Sue him for being biased, but he just loves his mate’s scent so much.

Gintoki will never leave Toushirou be if he ever hears it.

He watches his mate sniffs at his own clothes, face scrunching in disgust after it.

“I don’t mind it.”

Gintoki looks up at Toushirou, a small smile tugs at his face. “Of course you don’t, you have bad taste. You’re the only one who doesn’t mind it.”

The raven reaches to touch the incubator glass next to him. “I’m sure he doesn’t mind it as well.”

The parents finally both have a good look at their son, sleeping soundly.

“He’s so small…” His throat burns for no apparent reason, his heart aches just at the sight of his pup. The amount of tubes surrounding the pup, the way that little chest is rising and falling in such a way that makes it painful for Toushirou to watch, because for some reason it feels like he’s struggling with each intake of oxygen. They way the encasing crib clearly speaks of how much they can’t hold him yet. His son is right there but Toushirou can’t hold him.

“So glad you didn’t have to see it in the NICU, it’s even more horrible.” Gintoki knows what’s he’s thinking and Toushirou glad the being soul bonded doesn’t mean you can read into your partner’s mind like watching a film, because he really doesn’t think he could stomach the sight of his pup with more instruments keeping him alive.

Gintoki squeezes at Toushirou’s hand. “The doctor said that he’s strong, despite how he looks.”

“Yeah.” He squeezes back.

They watch their son, despite everything, he’s alive and well. It’s more than enough for both of them. All the pain and the struggle, the things they both endure; not just himself but Gintoki as well. It’s all worth it to finally be here, seeing their son alive.

“I’m glad you guys are okay.” There’s a crack in Gintoki’s voice and Toushirou turns his head to see his mate trying his best not to crumble right then and there. Despite everything, he still smiles, he’s still happy—happiness is the only thing he has for all of them. Toushirou can feel it clearly through their bond.

He’s happy too.

“Ah, it’s snowing.”

Gintoki looks behind him as well. They watch the white puff gently falls outside the hospital. “Oh, right, the name.”

“ _Don’t you dare._ ”

“How about Yuki?”

Toushirou sighs into his palm, he should’ve seen this coming. He shakes his head at Gintoki’s stubbornness.

“As in _Snow_.” The raven rolls his eyes already.

“As in _Happiness_.”

Toushirou looks at Gintoki in stun. The alpha just smiles knowingly.

He’s right, he predicted this months ago. Gintoki is always like this, and Toushirou can’t help but smile at that. Saying something obvious, seemingly thoughtless. But it’s never like that, it’s not shallow like you think it is. This is the same exact scenario he had in mind, just minus the quarreling bit.

Toushirou agrees without any complain.

“Yuki it is.”

* * *

“And that’s how Yuki gets his name.”

“Whoa…”

“Tou-chan, Tou-chan, what about me?” The small girl tugs at Gintoki’s pants. He picks her daughter up in the air.

“You’re named after one of the best thing in the entire universe,” The black haired girl’s red eyes sparkle in anticipation, so does the silver haired boy’s blue eyes.

“Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon.”

Gintoki gets his head pummeled into the tatami.

“Ignore him. C’mon, it’s bathtime for you two. The water’s ready.”

“Yes!” The two kids answer right away. The boy already heading to follow their mother to the bathroom while the girl pats at the father’s head on the floor first before following his brother. The two years old wobble in her steps to catch up to her three years old brother.

Toushirou washes his daughter’s hair while his son soaks in the bathtub.

“Kaa-chan, what’s Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon?” Yuki tilts his head.

You’d thought that Toushirou already exhales enough sigh throughout his entire lifespan, but no; for as long as he’s going to be married with his idiot permhead, Toushirou will keeps on exhaling sigh after sigh.

“Please forget that word.”

“Then what about my name?” The girl tugs at Toushirou’s rolled sleeve.

“Yeah, what’s for Megumi?”

“It means _Blessing_.” Toushirou washes the shampoo off Megumi’s hair.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness"  
> 恵 (megumi) meaning "blessing"
> 
> ====
> 
> IT'S FINALLY DONE  
> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  
> Thank you so much for sticking with this indulgent story, i never thought it'd develop into something as serious as this. it started as an indulgent and slife-of-life / crack kind of fic, but it takes a more serious turn in the middle and now it's like a journey of hijikata's pregnancy lol i never thought i'd be doing medical research for a fanfiction, but then again that's not new for me ahhahaha i hope the medical things make sense, i did do my research and add my own twist to the whole omegaverse setting
> 
> thank you so much for reading!!! i read every single one of the comments and they mean a lot to me. thank you for enjoying this story as much as i write it!! i can't thank you guys enough for that
> 
> =====
> 
> next chapter will be the epilogue :D


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EPILOGUE

Shinpachi: Ah, this is nostalgic… all of us under the kotatsu… no, wait— _WHY ARE WE DOING THIS AGAIN, OI???!!!_

Gintoki: New Year’s card, New Year’s card, you gotta do it one way or another, right? It’s because the setting of the story has come to the end of the year, so it’s time to do the New Year greetings and all.

Shinpachi: Oh, you’re right, yeah, we have to do New Year’s card, it’s already the time… no, wait— _THIS IS THE EPILOGUE, ISN’T IT???!!!_

Kagura: Shut it, you glasses boy who hasn’t grown a single hair on your balls in over three years, sheesh. There’s children around here, you should be quiet.

Gintoki: No, _you_ shut up, there’s kids around here, wash your mouth, dammit.

Toushirou: _ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!_

Megumi: Shut up!

Yuki: Shut up..

“Gin-san, is that one finished?”

“Here you go.” Gintoki slides the card to Shinpachi’s side on the table as the boy is the one in charge of putting the postage stamps for the greeting cards.

“Gin-san…”

“Here’s another card.” Toushirou slides another one to Shinpachi.

“Oi…”

Only the noise of markers being scribbled on hard paper fills the room, that’s the one answering Shinpachi’s call. Bespectacled eyes stare down over the cards being pushed to his side, like the last train to Shibuya delivering corporate slaves into the sodding area, filling without stopping. It piles in front of him and the boy snaps after the sixth card.

“ _OI, THESE ARE JUST CHICKEN FEET SCRIBBLES, AREN’T THEY???!!_ ”

“What do you expect, hah?” In Gintoki’s lap, Megumi with hand too small for the red marker, happily scribbling on another card.

“It’s greetings from the kids.” In Toushirou’s lap, Yuki tries to draw an orange (inspired by the oranges surrounding the kotatsu table right now) with a blue marker.

“Yuki-chan, what is that?” Kagura peeks at Yuki’s drawing.

The boy perks up to the girl, blinking unsurely before answering. “O-orange..”

“What color is orange?”

“…o-orange…”

Kagura gives the boy who’s on the verge of tears a long thoughtful look. “… Toshi, is Yuki color blind?”

Toshiro wipes the start of tears on Yuki’s eyes, ruffling the boy’s silver hair. “Nah, he just gets confused with colors.”

“Yuki likes blue too much!!”

“M-Megumi likes red too much too... !”

“Oi, oi, what did I say about bullying your brother?”

“Aaaa!! Tou-chan! _Tou-chan!!_ ” Megumi squirms while Gintoki gives his daughter two fists nogging the sides of her head.

“Cut it out.”

“ _Ow—_ ” Toushirou throws a marker and it hits right on top of Gintoki’s head.

Shinpachi shakes his head at those two’s antics, something that he has come to know so very well in the years being in this humble pack. He used to call it small, especially when it was just him, Kagura-chan, and Gin-san; Sadaharu as well. But then Toushirou-san joined in, and now it has expanded even more with the addition of the two adorable pups. Yuki and Megumi are already like Shinpachi’s own family. He’d say siblings, but perhaps niece and nephew would be more suitable. Kagura feels more like his sister, now that he thinks about it.

And come to think about it, what if those two kids call him ‘Shinpachi-jii-san’ one day?

“You barely have any hair on your chest, you’re still far from being an uncle.”

“Wh—wait, did I just say it out loud—”

“Uncle glasses, pft.”

“You’re one to talk! What about Auntie Kagura, huh?!”

As the two now all-grown-up brats of the Yorozuya quarrels per their usual routine, Gintoki and Toushirou prefer to be more occupied with tending to their kids. Ever since having the two pups, they’re more subdued in everything they do. Domesticated, if you will. Gintoki taking a more mundane odd jobs around Kabuki-cho, no longer doing high-risk or over the top requests that might end up having him pull a sick move over some bad guys’ dead bodies. It’s mostly because his spouse bans him from pulling too much ‘Cool dad moves’, Megumi is already handful enough without Gintoki showing off.

Toushirou, meanwhile, is turning into a super-mom or something. Working up early in the morning, breakfast is always Toushirou’s chore because he’s the only morning person now in this household, sometimes he shows up on the news whenever the Shinsengumi does something cool for the week (Gintoki always on standby with the TV, ready to call the two pups over to cheer over how cool Kaa-chan is, _look, look, it’s Kaa-chan on TV!!_ ), never gets home late for dinner, ever. He definitely is one; Gintoki, Yuki, and Megumi all agree on this. The Vice-commander returns to his post after his maternity leave only couple months ago, his one-year leave turned into give-or-take four years now because _somehow_ , he got knocked up again not long after Yuki was born. Megumi was such a handful kid, even before she was born. It was less emotionally taxing, but Megumi really has insane level of energy that even Gintoki doesn’t know where that comes from. If the omega was already moody during his first pregnancy, then with his second one it pretty much went upfold by a ton. Gintoki has a small patch underneath his silver mop from where Toushirou pulled his hair so hard during the labor.

That was almost two years ago. Time really passed when you play house with these bunch of rascals. Kagura decides to go explore the prospect of being a hunter along with his dad, so she no longer occupies the wardrobe in the living room. Shinpachi still helps with the Yorozuya, but nowadays he spends more time focused on his family’s dojo as well. The boy had said something like “Seeing Gin-san with your family makes me fired up to revive the dojo!”. Gintoki barely sees the correlation but, _you do you, Shinpachi._

The Yorozuya now houses Gintoki, Toushirou, Yuki, and Megumi; the Sakata family. Gintoki always stops to sniff his snot because he pretty much tears up comically whenever he says that. The parents take turn in taking care of their pups. The position of Vice-commander in the Shinsengumi is now split into two; one where it’s Toushirou handling the paperwork, and the other with Itou handling the fieldwork. Toushirou no longer takes patrol duty or raids, but he still attends important meetings and accompany Kondou-san in government businesses. Whenever he doesn’t have to be with the Shinsengumi, the raven brings his work home to multi-task with taking care of the pups. During these days, it’s Gintoki’s turn to do his odd jobs. The Yorozuya boss would then come home to warm homecooked meal and bath already prepared. Then when it’s the Vice-commander’s turn to work, Gintoki would be the one cooking and taking care of Yuki and Megumi. They divide their chores relatively even.

It just so happens, so conveniently happens, that their brats are also evenly attached to their parents. Yuki is clingy with Toushirou. He is what people would call crybaby. A spitting image of Gintoki when you see him at a glance, but you’d notice the difference when you really look at the boy. He has Toushirou’s eyes, albeit in a brighter shade. Tamegorou’s widow said that Yuki has Toushirou’s face as a pup, all wide innocence; Toushirou brought his family with him when he visited Tamegorou’s grave last year. Megumi still small in Gintoki’s arms while Yuki had only started walking.

The little girl, shares the chaotic energy with her Tou-chan. Hair the same shade as Toushirou, but eyes blazing red, even more fiery than Gintoki’s. The girl is one troublesome pup on herself, and it’s a deadly combination if you leave her with Gintoki alone. If one had to describe their relationship, it’s similar to Gintoki and Kagura, but imagine it where Kagura agrees on everything stupid that Gintoki does and says. That’s Megumi. That’s Gintoki’s dearest daughter that he himself really has no idea how the hell does she has this much energy.

A lively little family, one that Gintoki never thought he’d have—when Shinpachi, Kagura, and Sadaharu became his pack, the silver haired samurai thought that was lively enough. It was already more than he’d ever had. Then he fell in love, then he was gifted his own family. Gintoki never thought he’d get to share his last name with anybody, and yet here he is.

“… _From Sakata Family_ , huh?”

Gintoki grins widely at Shinpachi who reads the card.

“Tou-chan…”

“Yes, _yes_.” Gintoki picks the girl with the grabby hands up. She’s like a monkey when it comes to sitting on Gintoki’s shoulder, but even he wouldn’t risk putting her there when she’s sleepy like this. That happened once and the alpha almost missed catching her before she hit the ground.

“I told you to sleep during the day, but you didn’t listen.” Gintoki clicks his tongue.

The girl whines into her dad’s chest. “ _Touuu-chaaaan…_ ”

He pats his girl’s back, shifting her in a more comfortable position in his arms. “Right, right, Megu-chan too excited for her first time ringing the New Year Eve’s bell.” The girl snuggles into the alpha further, partly seeking comfort and partly being stubborn because the whole ‘going to the shrine for New Year Eve’ was Megumi’s idea. The rest of the family were more than fine with just staying at home with piping hot soba, watching the bell ringing from TV broadcast.

Gintoki himself only ever been to the shrine on New Year Eve’s like twice or so, and that was because Kagura nagged him endlessly much like how Megumi did. The queue line is always insane during this event. Granted that they snug into the queue pretty early (all thanks to Toushirou with the most braincells in this household), it’s still a huge crowd, nonetheless. “There’s still probably half an hour until our turn anyway, you can take a nap.”

Toushirou looks down at Yuki, who’s holding his hand tightly. “Do you want to be carried as well?”

The boy shakes his head, looking around the crowd in both amazement and a little timidness.

“Just let me know when you’re tired of standing, okay?”

They manage to ring the bell as the 51th ringer. The parents helping the pups swing the log, Megumi completely fresh and awake with excitement. Through more of the little girl’s demand, they stay around until countdown. However, you can’t deny a child’s sleeping schedule. Even with a parent who doesn’t impose strict sleeping schedule (while the other parent constantly scolds over that lax attitude), a child will eventually get tired after being excited for an entire day. So, they decide to spend the next two hours waiting for countdown at a nearby snack shop; after eating their meal, Megumi and Yuki doze off on their parents’ lap.

“Gotta be honest, I never thought I’d be going to the shrine to ring the New Year’s bell, let alone with my family.” Gintoki looks over the passersby, each with their own desire to celebrate the coming of the new year.

Toushirou glances at his husband, before looking at the same direction as the other. “Same here.”

They enjoy the quietness of watching the crowd moving. People buying snacks, taking pictures, or heading to the shrine for the bell; a loud scenery on a chilly December night. Despite the weather being light snowing, Gintoki doesn’t feel a shade of coldness at all. All he feels is the warmth radiating from Toushirou and the pups.

“Yeah, this is really boring.” Gintoki leans back on his seat, shifting his weight to his hands. Toushirou hums in agreement. “But it really is the best with a family.”

Their eyes meet and they both curve a knowing smile.

“Shall we wake them up, it’s almost time.” Toushirou looks down at Megumi and Yuki sleeping soundly. They both inherit Gintoki’s amazing ability to sleep through anything, even around a live crowd like this.

“Nah, let them sleep.” Gintoki leans towards his mate.

“She’ll be pissed tomorrow.”

Gintoki chuckles. “Definitely, for sure.”

**_“10… 9… 8…”_ **

“We can take them here again next time.” Gintoki snakes a hand around Toushirou’s face to guide their faces closer. Toushirou tilts his head to meet Gintoki.

_“ **3… 2… 1…”**_

They kiss.

_“ **Happy New Year!”**_

“Megumi— _ow, ow, ow_ —cut it out, _aaaa!!_ ”

“ _Justice!!!_ ”

“Where did you learn that word, _oii!!!!_ ”

Toushirou rolls his eyes at the father-daughter duo. “Told you she’d be pissed.”

Yuki looks over them from where he’s being carried in Toushirou’s arms. The boy didn’t get angry or anything when he woke up the next day, having completely missed the changing year. Meanwhile Megumi throws an immediate tantrum when she learned that her parents didn’t wake her up for the countdown. Toushirou pointed out that it was all Tou-chan’s idea to not wake them up so if there’s one to blame, then blame your useless permhead dad.

And blame it all she did.

She headbutted him to wake Gintoki up. And now, as they’re on their way back to the shrine again for Hatsumode, Megumi keeps on pulling at Gintoki’s hair every now and then.

Sometimes (a lot of the time, actually), Toushirou is glad that this one hell of a girl is attached to Gintoki instead of him.

They arrived at the entrance of the shrine and Toushirou proceeds to fix the pups’ kimono after putting them on the ground. Gintoki pats his own hair after the constant tug and pull throughout their entire journey, it’s beginning to grow into a light throb of headache. A bunch of shrine attendees pass them by, a couple of young lady group look over them and giggle as they pass. Finding it adorable of the small pack at the corner of the shrine entrance with color coordinated dark red-blue kimono, adorned with gold highlights that give them a sense of elegance. Megumi wanted something brightly pink, but surprisingly she doesn’t object to the color coordination when she first saw the kimono set.

Toushirou pats her kimono down and they walk in a line. The parents on the each of the pups’ side, they all go hand in hand for the shrine.

“Alright, let’s go wish for a great year.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> art by me (velvetcat09)  
> more art at: [Tumblr](https://velvvetcat09.tumblr.com/) & [Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/cing_kucing)  
> ========
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND ENJOYING THIS STORY  
> it's complete now! thank you for sticking through the entire journey, this has been a wholesome experience :'') i'm so happy i could finally finish this, it's really just a snapshot of the sakata family lol it's a slice-of-life after all
> 
> thank you again for reading, i really really appreciate and would love to hear of your thoughts <3  
> HAPPY NEW YEAR


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